


The Vow

by Lynansidhe



Category: Fairy Tail, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 06:30:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 74,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12475536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lynansidhe/pseuds/Lynansidhe
Summary: Several key characters from Fairytail travel to Hogwarts to fulfill the ancient vow made by Mavis to protect Hogwarts. Very strong Cobra/Lucy; if you don't like the shipping, I would recommend not reading it. This story is discontinued because I am working to write a better version of this story.





	The Vow

The Vow 7-25-15  
Chapter One-  
Makarov Dreyar, third and sixth guild master of Fairy Tail, sighed wearily as he looked down into his mug; torn upon the decision that was looming over their guild. On one hand he knew what he had to do, it was the other part of him, the piece that loved and cherished his "children" that rebelled against sending his brats into a second land in the throes of chaos and great confusion.  
When the ancient lacrima crystal that had been passed down from guild master to guild master began to shine did he begin to dread. Of course, he knew that the day of repaying the debt of the first master would come, but he had hoped that it would be later. Much later. Once more Makarov sighed; he still remembered seeing that lacrima vision when he became third guild master.  
________________________________________  
'Why does my whole-body ache?' Thought a childlike blonde who was also known as Mavis Vermillion first master and founder of the guild Fairy Tail as she attempted to open her eyes. Then they shot open as she jolted upright only for her body to scream in agony over the motion 'Itai, Itai.' She thought, banging her back into the closest tree; remembering the last words in her conscious before it all went black. ""The air. . ." she gasped, clutching her throat in a desperate attempt to inhale the vital Ethernano particles that configured the very essence of magic. . . " Heart skipping a beat, she sucked in air desperately only to stop in horror. Trying to calm down and use her famous analytical mind, Mavis took in a deep breath ignoring the wrongness, and searched.  
'Right, I was talking to Precht-san on Mount Hakobe after we had investigated a disturbance and got rid of the Vulcan's when the ground gave out.' Mavis shuddered at the remembrance of free falling as well as Precht's horrified countenance while he watched helplessly. 'Before I hit the ground I threw myself onto an outcropping; stopping my fall, which explains the pain.' Her brows scrunched together in thought. 'Could this possibly be akin to Edolas? Just another dimension?' Tapping her lips, Mavis's brilliant green eyes narrowed, thinking through all of the possibilities before settling on one. "Something about that rock that I touched must have sent me here. That much I have deduced. I wonder. . . Is there such a place where I have landed? If so. . Then I have my work cut out for me." She mused aloud before firming her resolve "I will not bend nor admit defeat, I must find a way to return! I cannot disappoint my friends!" With determination flowing, Mavis heaved herself upon her feet, feeling every twinge and tear in the bitingly chilly air.  
~~~Four Days Later~~~  
Gasping as she knelt on the ground, Mavis looked around at the carnage that she had wrought as her arms trembled at the last spec of magic vanished from her soul. Again she cursed the wolves in every language that she knew, with every fiber of her being for forcing her to use up her already pitiful reserves on such paltry matters.  
With a tired sigh Mavis picked up her bruised and beaten figure to continue to trudge along; without a second glance towards the half-dead wolves, Mavis hobbled her way to the end of the clearing while the beasts that she so venomously cursed glowed a blackened gold before transforming into haggard humans. The bright giant gleaming so serenely in the sky shining upon them, forever cursed to fear her silvery luminesce.  
"Pure has become impure, impure has become pure. . ."  
~~~Three Days Later~~~  
Mavis put a hand atop her aching midriff to stop the incessant growling. 'How much longer can I persevere?' She thought sorrowfully, bringing her bloody palms to eye level. 'With this cold, snow is bound to appear. . . It is only a matter of time. .'  
~~~Few Hours Later~~~  
Breath fogging in the air, Mavis fought the urge to lay down and sleep. Gritting her teeth she plunged onward, focusing on finding shelter from the coming storm that could be seen from miles away.  
Stumbling out of the woods, Mavis froze from shock. Putting a trembling hand on her lips she shakily tottered a few steps to see if what she was beholding was not a mirage. When the light became steadily brighter from the mostly complete castle, Mavis broke into a faltering run only to arrive and hit an unseen barrier. Hope withering, Mavis fell upon her knees; tears falling from her deadened eyes. "Nooo!" She screamed once more before falling once again into darkness, snow drifting mournfully around her.  
~~~Inside The Castle~~~  
Giving a great start, a tawny blonde man's eyes widened as he jumped from the dining room ignoring the startled exclamation of his three other colleagues as he rushed towards the massive door that lead out to the inclement weather.  
Seeing what awaited him lying in the snow, the man let out a curse that would make a normal English woman faint in horror. 'How on Earth has this child survived in this weather?!' The blonde questioned to himself as he quickly but gently picked her up to rush into the castle to get help from his friends.  
________________________________________  
"Tell me, how is she doing?" He asked, unconsciously stroking the child's cold, pale hand.  
"Not well I am afraid." The plump women stated sadly. Her heart broke for this girl. "Her body is severely malnourished, half healed injuries throughout the whole body, and there is something else as well. . ." She broke off my hands twisting around themselves in worry. Her dark honey hair having escaped its bun swept little wisps of hair across her pretty face.  
The man frowned at this "What-" He hesitated "What do you mean?"  
She sighed, looking once more at the young child who did not look a day over thirteen before glancing back up. "It is like she had magic but it emptied; draining her of her strength which is not normal as I am sure you well know my friend."  
Eyes wide once more he asked the most obvious question "But how?! That should not even be possible!"  
Shaking her head, she replied "If I knew that answer she would be healed already so there is no need to be upset."  
Slumping in defeat he apologized, looking her in the eye "Forgive me Helga I am just on edge"  
Letting a small smile creep onto her lips "It is quite alright Godric. I understand" Helga said as she put a comforting hand on his shoulder only to take it off quickly when they heard the infirmary doors slam open. Looking towards the source of the noise; paling when she saw who it was storming up to them.  
"What is the meaning this?!" Roared a slim looking man with unblemished pale skin and dark hair.  
"Salazar—"  
"Why have brought in mundane filth into our school Gryffindor?! Explain yourself!" Salazar Slytherin asked angrily, dark eyes foreboding as they looked from Helga Hufflepuff to Godric Gryffindor.  
Rising up to the challenge like the lion he was, Godric stepped in front of the tiny blonde child protecting her from the serpent's gaze. "She was dying!" He replied hotly gold eyes flashing from tan skin.  
Salazar frowned at this, eyes narrowing before snorting in derision "Well I say good riddance. The less there are of those scum the safer we are"  
At this Helga Hufflepuff lost her famous temper "That is enough!" she hissed, marching up to handsome but fearsome parselmouth. "I can take you bad-mouthing the adults of the race, but this one is child! A child who is innocent from all of their wrong doings!" Brown eyes bored relentlessly into the cold eyes of the snake, the badger's finger still prodding his firm chest. Losing all words, Salazar Slytherin sent one more venomous glance at the "human" before storming out brushing against a darkly beautiful woman dressed in a silver gown, her diadem glinting in the low light of early night.  
"Tell me, what did I miss? I heard shouting" Asked the raven Rowena Ravenclaw her smooth alto lilting as she gracefully glided over.  
Giving Rowena a wry twist of her lips Helga answered for both of them "Godric found a dying human child in the snow."  
Looking blankly at the badger she asked in an almost dumbfounded tone "And?" Clearly expecting something more.  
"Salazar did not agree with Godric's saving of the mundane."  
"Ah." She nodded, knowing the snake's adamant dislike of any non-wizard. "How is the human?" At this Hegla's shoulders slumped.  
"Physically she should recover but there is something else sapping her strength."  
"How intriguing. . ." She murmured, eyes going distant before snapping back to clarity. "May I have a look at this child?" Eyes lighting up in hope, Helga Hufflepuff quickly led Rowena past the still tensed lion who was wearily eying the both of them.  
Pausing in her step the ethereal woman gently susurrated to the broad form next to her "Do not worry old friend I will not harm what is under your protection." Sweeping over to the motionless blonde, the raven closed her eyes as she searched the youngster's soul only to pull up short. Grimacing lightly Rowena tried again, hitting the same blockade. 'I wonder. . 'She thought; changing her approach. 'Spot on.' Pulling away from the meditative state she quickly explained her findings.  
________________________________________  
Conjuring a plush chair, Helga gratefully sunk into it rubbing a trembling hand over her temples to assuage the imminent headache. "Are you certain Rowena?" She rasped, looking over at a grim raven and a shell-shocked lion. Shaking himself out of his stupor Gryffindor once again asked the obvious query no one wanted to ask.  
"But how? No one's magic works like that!"  
"You are right Godric no one of this world has raw power like this." Recoiling as though he had be struck his skin paled then flushed.  
"Surely you cannot be telling us that she is from another dimension!"  
Eyes glinting coolly the hauntingly beautiful woman replied frostily "That is precisely what I am saying. If you do not believe me, ask the child when she wakes. For now just give her magical transfusions until her level is stable. " That being said, the wise woman left as quietly as she came.  
~~~A Week Later~~~  
Eyes drifting open, Mavis took in her ornately done stone surroundings with a cautious eye, prepared for something to attack her when she froze in shock 'My . . . My magic is back! But how?' Half afraid to hope Mavis dropped the issue of her magic and brought out the inquiry as to where she was while she made her way slowly out of the cot. "Where am I and how did I get here?" She questioned quietly to herself. Looking around once more.  
"You are at Hogwarts School of Magic and I carried you here." A deep tenor answered. Jumping in surprise Mavis whirled around long blonde hair flowing; automatically bringing her power to the surface making a golden corona swirl around her. "Easy there little fairy." His voice amused and eyes laughing at her.  
"Li-lit-tle Fa-fair-y?" She stuttered, her pupil-less green eyes wide. Hand unconsciously stoking the green guild mark located on the back of her left hand. Lion gold irises following her movement and narrowed when he saw the green tattoo.  
"Who tattooed your hand girl?" Godric asked, ready to lynch someone for forcing a child to get a tattoo but jerked away from his thoughts when he heard a tinkling laugh echo out of the blonde's mouth.  
"That's not a tattoo it's my guild emblem Neko-san" She explained merrily nearly giggling at the man's expression.  
"Guild . . . Emblem?" He asked canting his head to the side, curiosity growing. "Neko-san?" Mavis started letting out peals of laughter unable to help herself at the man's expressions. "Oy! What is so funny?" Finally able to control herself Mavis wiped a stray tear away before sighing.  
"Thank you. It has been awhile since I was able to laugh like that." She explained, trying to regain a semblance of control. "Before I answer your earlier question I would like to ask you one if I may. Where am I?"  
"As I told you earlier, you are at Hog-"  
"Pardon me, I must have not been clear enough. When I asked where I was I was not referring to this castle, rather the name of the world on which it rests." As Mavis spoke, she pinned her intense gaze on him, showing that yes, she was serious.  
Despite having been interrupted Godric Gryffindor could not help but feel as though this girl was much older than she appeared. Uncrossing his arms and walking away from the door to tower over the tiny child he asked what he had wanted to know from day one. "What is your name?"  
"Mavis Vermillion."  
"Godric Gryffindor. A pleasure" Nodding to her. "To answer your question you are on the planet Earth. Now, would you be so kind as to answer my first question?"  
Mavis felt a small smile flicker across her face before answering "My "tattoo" is the emblem of my guild Fairy Tail which marks all bearers' part of it."  
"Fairy Tail? Where is that if I may ask?"  
Mavis sighed 'what's the harm in telling him? I'm already at his mercy.' Composing herself she responded to his query "Magnolia, Fiore."  
"Fiore?" He asked raising a brow.  
"Hai, it is within Earthland."  
Godric's brows furrowed 'it would seem Rowena was correct. I suppose an apology is in order.'  
"Eto . . . ." Gryffindor snapped to attention at her voice realizing belatedly he had been ignoring her "You aren't surprised." She stated.  
"No, I was surprised but I guess you say that I had some warning beforehand"  
"I see." She sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted "Who warned you?"  
An expression of what could only be called pride crossed his face before he answered "An old friend of mine. After she magically took a look at you Miss Vermillion; Rowena speculated that you were not from here. Of course I being a stubborn fool did not believe her." Shaking a head at his stupidity he realized he would have to eat a lot of crow later. 'At least it is not raven.' He groaned aloud when that thought hit him. 'Of all the times . . .'  
"Are you alright Gryffindor-san?" Internally Godric cursed, he had spaced out again.  
"Yes." He replied tightly, inwardly berating himself  
"If it is not much trouble ask, may I speak to this Rowena-san?" Nodding his acquiescence he started leading the way to the Ravenclaw Tower pausing only once to tell Mavis to follow.  
~~~Ravenclaw Tower~~~  
Knocking with an odd bird knocker, a disembodied voice called out "What is man's greatest treasure?"  
"What is what's greatest treasure?! Also, since when is there a password!" Asked an aggravated lion  
"Lady Ravenclaw installed me naught two days past." Answered the now apparent talking raven beak knocker. "The riddle for today is what is man's great-"   
"Wisdom or wits is it not?" Interrupted Mavis, ready to nip this at the bud.  
"You have answered correctly." The brass handle responded, opening the door that lead to the Tower.  
~~~Inside Tower~~~  
"So, I was right. You are from another dimension" Rowen Ravenclaw stated while holding Mavis's chin in her hand.  
"Indeed." Mavis stiffy responded. Not liking one bit the way she was being looked at.  
"I imagine you wish to travel home." Not even waiting for her answer the raven plowed onward "Which is why I am in the process of designing a crystal that can teleport you to and from your homeland." Seeing both open mouth stares, Rowena airily waved her hand "Don't go looking at me like that! It's a relatively simple process once I analyzed your clothing and power."  
"Easy for you . . ." Godric muttered lowly.  
"Shoo now. Go meet the others and meet me at the open field tomorrow morning. Shoo Shoo."  
~~~Next Morning~~~  
Mavis excitedly walked out into field were the others were, practically shining with happiness at the prospect of returning. "Are you ready Mavis Vermillion?" questioned Rowena Ravenclaw who stood before a simple levitating gem.  
"Hai."  
"If you are ready, then grasp the crystal and it should return you to Fiore." Mavis gave a nod of understanding and made her way towards to lacrima; just before she touched it the petite blonde turned and bowed lowly.  
"If you ever have need of aid call upon my guild we will come to protect Hogwarts in your stead." She finished coming out of her bow, making a communications lacrima with her magic and handed it to Godric while pocketing its twin as she took the last step to the precious stone. As she began to shimmer she whipistered two sad farewell words before fading out completely.  
Turning over the smooth golden blue lacrima, the four founders read the solemn words engraved upon it.  
"When Darkness Encroaches,  
Light Sputters,  
Hope Fades,  
Remember the Fairies' Light."  
~~~A Millennia Later~~~  
A man by the name of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore sat in office with a dusty crystal laying innocuously in front of him. He was in a personal dilemma. There were two choices that could be chosen. One was abstain from calling these "Fairies" and try to protect his precious students by himself and know for sure that they would be safe from these strange creatures or two call the Sprites and risk harm to the student body but know that these creatures will aid him just to not what extent.  
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Dumbledore sighed as he picked up a galleon to choose for him. "Heads for the Fairies" Albus wearily breathed aloud as he tossed in the air. Watching almost in slow motion how the coin rotated, spinning Hogwart's fate in its small shiny coinage. Hearing the light "clang" from the stone floors as the golden currency landed; the headmaster looked down with trepidation at the answer.  
Heads  
~~~An Hour Later~~~  
With candles lit in the shape of a circle, Albus placed the oddly colored gem in the center while he gathered his magic as well as the essence of Hogwarts to help him in his mission. Closing his eyes in preparation Dumbledore began to chant  
Ego dico super thee,  
Mediocris of Lux lucis ,  
iam presto vestri voveo quod exorior!  
With a great burst of power the lacrima glowed brighter than the sun and abruptly flickered out leaving four words behind.  
Nos memor, Nos adveho  
________________________________________  
Snapping out of his nostalgic daze, Makarov drew himself together and started to bound out of his office when a bikini clad model from Sorcerer's Weekly caught his eyes "Well ten minutes won't hurt anyone."  
________________________________________  
"Mmmm, look at all those pretty girls." He sighed, glancing towards the clock lacrima in passing. The guildmaster jumped when he realized that twenty minutes had passed 'crap. . !' He thought leaping from his comfy chair and running towards the balcony and jumping on to the railing, mustering his loudest voice to garner all of Fairy Tail's attention. "Alright you brats! Listen up!" The guild master bellowed, efficiently putting a stop to all ruckus. "I know that we all have been through a lot and that we just finished our own war but I regretfully must ask you to fight once more." After the master finished his sentence pure chaos ensued.  
"Master What-!"  
"What Are-"  
"You can't be-"  
"Why-"  
"I'm all fired-"  
"Explain-"  
"Another wa-"  
Fist clenched, Erza Scarlett yelled on the top of her lungs, commanding attention "Quiet you fools! Let Master finish speaking!"  
Makarov sent Erza a grateful glance and told Fairy Tail of their longstanding vow with a heavy heart.  
________________________________________  
Author Notes-  
~Itai (Ouch)  
~Proverb is from Inuyasha  
~I know that in the cannon Rowena Ravenclaw's symbol is an eagle but in this fanfic I'm changing it to a raven  
~As for Mavis's Guild mark; I couldn't find where it was or what color. If anyone knows please tell me.  
~Language barrier- At the time when Mavis traveled there they were speaking Latin, which I'm banking would be spoken in Fiore as well.  
~Hai-yes  
~Eto-Equivalent to umm  
~ EGO dico super thee Mediocris of Lux lucis , iam presto vestri voveo quod exorior!- According to a translation site it means: I call upon thee Fairies of the Light, now fulfill your vow and come forth!  
~ Nos memor , Nos adveho- Again according to a translation site it means: We remember, We come  
Chapter Two-  
Closing his eyes at the deafening silence, Makarov Dreyar cringed, awaiting the second vociferous outburst of the day. Surely enough within two minutes the guild was in abject chaos once more giving a feeling of intense Déjà -vu; only this time they were silenced with a loud boom from Fairy Tail's personal Lighting Dragon Slayer. "Oy shut it for a minute! Let Gramps explain the plan. Or did you pea brains miss the part about a binding contract?!" He glared menacingly, daring anyone to complain more.  
"Dreyar-san is correct. While we may not have made the vow ourselves our first guild master did. As such, it is the duty of the Guild to fulfill this binding promise." The pretty blonde Mage scowled at their childish behavior. While she understood the reasons why they did not want to engage in yet another struggle, but they were adults for Pete's sake! They should act like one not their shoe size.  
At this everyone let out a collective sigh at Lucy's insightful words knowing that she was correct. There was not a way to wiggle their way out of this. "Also, since when have we been one to shy away from new challenges?" She continued, holding one hand to her chest as the other struck the air beside it "Aren't we Fairy Tail, Fiore's number one guild?!"  
"Yeeaahh!"  
"It's so nice to see you guys back in such high spirits." Mira said sweetly from behind the bar as she cleaned.  
Nodding silently in agreement, gloom settling over her, Erza could not help but think back to how low the moral had been once they had defeated Zeref at the Grand Magic Games. 'Even though we won the war it still seems as though we lost. That victory was very bittersweet. We lost just as much as we gained'  
"Say, Old Man, who were you thinking of sending on this trip?" Gajeel asked while he munched on bits of metal that looked suspiciously like the cutlery Mirajane used to cook and serve food with.  
"Eheheh, I haven't a clue."  
"What! Master . . .!"  
"Well what did you brats expect? I just got the summons thirty minutes ago!"  
"Half an hour should have been more than enough!"  
"Master . . ." Mira glared "You had better not have stopped to read one of those magazines. . ." She trailed off ominously, as she sent a dangerous glare down at him.  
"N-n-now why w-would I do th-that?" He asked, sweat dripping down his temples at the evil aura the she-devil was outputting. Noting anxiously and slightly guiltily how the barmaid was not the only one glaring daggers at him, Makarov frantically searched for something that would distract the lovely ladies from their warpath. "Well you see . . I had to take the time to find First and inform her of the summons which was why I took so long." He finished by raising him finger in air.  
"I see. Forgive me Master for ever doubting you; You may strike me for my grievances."  
*Slap*  
"Master why did you-" Erza growled but was interrupted by shouts coming from the direction of the visiting guild Crime Sorcière.  
"Hey, calm down man!"  
"Let me go Sawyer. I must punish those who impugn upon her honor" the coldly furious bluenette guild master said as a flickering gold corona surrounded him.  
"Jeez lighten up man, all he did was slap her on the butt. It's not like he kissed her or did anything else."  
The blue-haired mage glowered, "I will not 'lighten up' Erik. Makarov-dono has done a grievous offense!"  
"Humph, honestly, I don't see why you care so much; It's not as if she's your Fiancé" Angel said slyly trying to get the self sacrificing man to admit his desire for the red haired Knight.  
"Tha-That's beside the point!"  
"Now now children, there is no need for such squabbling"  
"First! So the Master really did summon you!" Fairy Tail shouted, actually sounding shocked.  
"What? Third didn't summon me, I came because I felt the Lacrima go off." She canted her head to side "Why would you think Dreyar-kun sent me?"  
"Eheh. No reason at all! Kids these days!" Makarov awkwardly stated, trying to change the subject "So do you have a plan Vermillion-san?"  
Mavis gave him a knowing look "Hai. As I am sure you are aware, Hogwarts rests within a separate dimension than ours; which is called Earth."  
"Master, is this universe similar to Edolas?"  
She shook her head "No Lucy-chan. While it may have humans that bear a striking resemblance to us in structure and build, they do not have the doppelgängers that Edolas boasts".  
"I see." The Celestial Mage murmured as she tapped her lips in thought.  
"What is our purpose for traveling to this land?" Freed asked  
"To protect Hogwarts."  
"And in what connotation do you speak of? Are you referring to it as a building or as an entity?"  
"Is a Church just a structure or does it refer to the people who believe? That decision rests solely on the ones' sent Justine-san"  
"Now." She turned her gaze back to the crowd "I have devised a strategy regarding who will answer the call".  
"Is Blondie going? If so I want to go too."  
Mavis giggled slightly, merrily waving her feet from her perch on the second floor railing "Now what fun would it be Flare-chan if I blabbed who is going?"  
"A lot easier on us." Laxus muttered under his breath, the people near him nodding in agreement.  
"Moving on. When I call out your name would you please make your way up to the office to be debriefed." She clapped her hands "Alright let's get started!"  
"Corona, Flare"  
"Dreyar, Laxus"  
"Dragneel, Natsu"  
"Fullbuster, Gray"  
"Heartfilia, Lucy"  
"Marvel, Wendy"  
"McGarden, Levy"  
"Redfox, Gajeel"  
"Scarlett, Erza"  
"Strauss, Mirajane"  
"And lastly, Cobra and Meredy."  
Hearing coughing coming from the darkened corner, everyone turned around to the maroon haired man wheezing from swallowing his drink wrong. "Have something to say Cobra?" Mavis asked sweetly; to sweetly totally ignoring Meredy's stunned "what?"  
"Heck yeah! Besides I'm not even part of this insane guild!"  
"Don't say that Cobra-kun! Crime Sorcière is an honorary team of Fairy Tail which makes you family! Even if you do not agree". Lucy said, smiling sunnily at all the members of the independent guild. Erik felt stunned, just like his other comrades. 'This girl . . . She truly means it; her soul practically sings the truth.' He scowled, belatedly realizing what he had let her call him. 'I can't believe she called me Cobra-kun! The nerve of that little princess . . . I'll let it slide, just this once. After all I don't want Titania to bring out that hammer again.' he shuddered in remembrance.  
Glowering, the Poison Dragon Slayer got up and stalked up the stairs to be "debriefed" leaving everyone staring at his now vacant spot; including his fellow guild members all thinking along the lines of 'That was easier than expected'.  
"Ano . .well I guess we should follow Cobra-san and head upstairs."  
"Ha-hai" Stuttered a shy blue-haired girl.  
"Hey Lushy, you liiike him. . ."  
"Shut it cat! I do not like him!"  
________________________________________  
"Since we are all here let us begin." Flicking her hand Mavis brought up an illusion that showed the castle. "This, is Hogwarts; when I accidentally traveled there, I realized off the start that the air lacked the vital Ethernanos that feed our power which in turn made me lose my magic since it could not replenish itself." Beholding the group's shocked expressions, she brought her hands up pacifyingly "Do not worry I have already created a remedy to counter the curse."  
"If I may ask what did you construct?" Erza inquired.  
"I don't mind at all Scarlett-san." Mavis gently responded; pulling something from her pocket "Once I returned to Fiore, I traveled back to Tenrou Jima with an old friend who knew Mage smithing, fashioning these from the Tenrou Tree in preparation for the day when Fairy Tail would return. These rings have two different properties. One of them being automatically adjustable to the wearer's magical type refueling their abilities over an eight hour span." Raising her hand to forestall any enquiries "But, I warn you now, try not to deplete your magic, for it will take triple that time to recover."  
"And the second?" Levy curiously asked. Clearly wishing to analyze the gadgets.  
"Translation."  
"Translation? Why would we need those?" Nastu questioned  
"Che. Isn't it obvious Salamander? They speak a different language than us."  
"Gajeel, that is enough! Please continue First."  
"Arigatou Erza-san. As I was saying, the rings offer an easy way to learn and speak English or any other language you may encounter" She paused noticing a raised hand "Yes Mira-san?"  
"I couldn't help but note that you said they speak English. How do you know that? Seeing that you speak Fioreian."  
"How perceptive of you" She smiled "During the duration of my stay I spoke Latin which was commonly spoken there as well."  
"How did you find out what dialect was commonplace?"  
Mavis's face saddened, turning morose "About half a century later I got the news the Rowena Ravenclaw had died, soon followed by Godric Gryffindor. During one of the funerals I encountered the change which was when I added the translation bit to the rings."  
Seemingly shaking herself mentally rid her mind of any lingering sadness, the Illusionist Mage continued her plan. "Moving forward, during the duration of your stay Laxus-san will leader of team acting in as your guild master and be taking care of you." Scowling at anyone with a complaint she continued "Lucy-san will act as the strategist of the group. Now, any questions?" Once more shooting daggers at anyone who dared protest about her perfect choices.  
Picking a safe topic, Meredy, the pink-haired Magulity mage asked the question that seemed to be bothering both her and Cobra "Why us?"  
"Why you ask?" Mavis quirked an eyebrow "Because you will be the Yang to this team's destructive Yin."  
"Now any other questions?"  
"When will we be departing?"  
"Tomorrow morning. Come to the rock formations on the other side of Mount Hakobe at dawn." Glaring intensely she added, "And if you are late I will personally come up a punishment game that would make Third's look like child's play." Shivering in fear all of the Fairy Tail members replied with a quick "yes ma'am" before hightailing it out of the room with two others following rapidly after.  
~~~Next Morning~~~  
"Natsu, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Happy, Carla!" Lucy waved, joyously greeting her nakama as they made their way to the mountain, starry blue ring with silver tracery gleaming under the still bright moon.  
"Lucy!" Her team exclaimed enveloping her in suffocating bear hug. "Are you ready?"  
"Yep! As I'll ever be! she replied, shining her bright smile only her family could bring out, long blonde ponytail swishing as they made their way to the rendezvous.  
________________________________________  
"With much regret I send you into this perilous world with fraught with danger." Mavis said, closing her eyes once before opening them, preparing her magic. "That being said, I wish you the best of luck in this adventure. Just remember that your family is always with you no matter what."  
Saying their bittersweet goodbyes to the guilds that had gathered to bid farewell, they made the way to the now glowing rock formations dragging behind them their luggage or in Erza's case, her cart with the Exceeds trailing after each respective Dragon Slayer. After everyone who was going entered the circle, they began to shimmer out, flashing brightly before fading completely from Earthland.  
"I'm gonna miss those destructive brats." Sighed Makarov Dreyar as he wiped away an errant tear.  
Giving the Third and Sixth guild master an amused glance, the founder of Fairy Tail consoled the old man "Don't worry, they'll return." Mavis said flashing a pride-filled smile as she began the slow trek down the mountain "After all, their family and friend are here waiting for them to return."  
Chapter Three-  
"Ahh!"  
"Quick! Grab onto another person before the orb explodes!" Ordered Laxus as he reached over to grasp Wendy while he wearily watched as the blue magic ball warped, pushing everyone in random directions above the ground of Hogwarts.  
________________________________________  
"Oomph!" Lucy exhaled as she landed on the surprisingly soft ground. . . That was warm. Looking down quickly, only to realize her "ground" was a person. 'Crap, double crap . . . he's going to kill me!'  
"Oi! Would you stop squirming?! I'm not gonna melt ya into a pile of goo alright; so stop fidgeting!" Erik said irately, wincing as she wiggled atop him.  
Quickly scrambling to get off of the Slayer, Lucy bowed deeply still crimson "Sumimasen Cobra-san." At this Cobra looked away uncomfortable with her apology.  
"There's no need to apologize, just help me up."  
"Ha-Hai."  
________________________________________  
"Ice Make: Slide." Gray shouted as he held onto the person he had happened to grab; slipping down the impromptu creation straight into a darkened lake with a loud "Splash". Paddling upward, the Demon Slayer broke the surface only to groan 'Of course we'd have to land in the freaking lake! Thankfully I have just the right kind of magic.' He smirked, "Ice Make: Raft!"  
________________________________________  
"Requip: Flight Armor!"  
"Takeover Magic: Satan Soul!"  
________________________________________  
"Sorry Levy-san, Gajeel-kun I can't hold you much longer." Stated an overtaxed Panther Lilly.  
"Oh, so you apologize to her first eh? I see where I stand"  
"Eek! Panther Lilly!"  
"Stop screaming, I have him just use your magic to stop our fall." Gajeel roared over the wind  
"Right, Solid Script: Wings!"  
________________________________________  
Boom!  
"You all right squirt?" asked the blonde haired leader of the team. Surveying the damage cause to the massive garden he had fried with his teleportation lighting.  
"Yep! All thanks to you Laxus-san." Wendy smiled up at him, long blue pigtails flowing in the breeze.  
"Well I personally think that you could have chosen a less conspicuous entrance. Especially one devoid of lightning." Carla indignantly sniffed as she crossed her paws irately, her fur sticking up in an comical afro fashion.  
"Oh shut it-gah! What happened to you, fur ball?!" The youngest Dreyar exclaimed, his eyes wide as he took in the usually pristine white cat's new look.  
"What on Earthland are blabbering on about?"  
Instead of answering lest he burst out into loud guffaws, Laxus simply gestured at the persnickety feline's body; lips pressed firmly together. 'Come on Laxus, don't laugh. Don't laugh at the cat. That would not be cool.'  
"Oh my." A quiet voice gasped, the owner finally getting a clear view of her companion's little 'problem' as her blonde haired savior moved to the side to lean heavily against one of the gigantic stacks of over sized pumpkins.  
"Now what is wrong child?" The Exceed questioned sharply, her patience running thin.  
Wendy giggled lightly into her clasped hands that were pressed firmly against her mouth in a futile manner to try to stave off the laughter. "Eto . . ."  
"Well spit it out."  
"Here." The Young Slayer pushed a small pocket mirror in front of Carla; sweat dropping at her horrified continence.  
"Eehhhhh?!"  
________________________________________  
"Hey little buddy how are ya holding up?"  
"Not good." Wheezed Happy; trembling with exhaustion from holding two heavy adults. "I don't think . . I can last . . . much longer . . ."  
Appearing deathly serious, Natsu called out to his flying companion "Happy! I want you to release me and take Meredy as far away as you can manage."  
"No! Please don't do this Natsu-kun, not for me!"  
"Natsu-"  
"Do it Happy!" He snapped, eyes flinty.  
"Aye Sir . . ." The blue Exceed mumbled, salty tears pouring from his eyes as he released Natsu from his paws. "Max speed: Aera!"  
________________________________________  
"I wonder where we are. It looks like some kind of forest. "  
"How the heck am I supposed to know?" Cobra grumbled "Remind me to-Oh, what is it now?!" He asked feeling a spike of tremendous fear rolling of Lucy  
"Sp-sp-spi"  
"What? Speak up."  
"Spiders!" Lucy shrieked, jumping into a surprised Erik.  
He winced putting a scarred hand against his ear as his other automatically caught the frantic Celestial Mage. "Ouch Blondie, no need to shout. They're just spiders." He nonchalantly stated.  
"That's the point! They're evil! Melt them into a pile of goo, just do something! Anything!"  
"Like what?!" Cobra exasperatedly asked, appearing a tad bit puzzled as he glanced down at the petite blonde. The very same blonde who, much to his amused befuddlement was currently trying very hard to bury her terror stricken face in his cloak.  
"I don't know, anything! Just get rid of them. Please." Lucy pathetically whimpered hiding her face in his shirt. "I can't. . . I'm sorry I just can't okay?! Anything but spiders . . .!"  
He winced at her terror filled soul; warily watching the oversized eight legged insects creep their way towards them 'jeez, instead of fighting her Sorano should have just conjured some giant arachnids. Though these critters are nothing to sneer at.' Sighing he rolled his eye and peered down at the petrified blonde in his arms and condescended, "I suppose I might as well as resign myself to the fate of being an Arachnid slayer. Forget dragons, who needs them when we've got hairy overgrown creepy-crawlies coming out of the woodwork."  
"My knight in shining armor." The little blonde mage retorted sarcastically.  
"Don't push it! You could show a little gratitude you know! A tiny bit of appreciation could a long way!" The maroon haired dragon slayer ground out.  
"Appreciation for what?!" She snapped "You haven't even done anything yet!"  
"Fine!" he heatedly responded abruptly turning toward the angry swarm of looming spiders. Dark wine colored poison began to drip from his fingertips. As he turned and moved to face the ever increasing onslaught of spiders, he felt a sharp yank on his jacket tugging him to an abrupt halt.  
"Don't leave me!" She desperately pleaded, her large whiskey brown eyes wide and filled with a shocking amount of primordial fear that genuinely caught him off guard. It suddenly hit him that despite her sharp words, the poor girl was genuinely frightened, dismissing his earlier faulty assumptions that Heartfilia was simply acting like a spoiled, entitled princess for the sake of complaining.  
Feeling a measure of pity as well as empathy for the distraught mage, he turned back to Lucy and with surprising gentleness, he peeled her fingers off the lapels of his coat. "This will only take a moment" Cobra said softly, eye scarily grim.  
Taking a deep shaky breath in an attempt to calm tattered composure, Lucy, with trembling fingers, pulled out a Golden Zodiac Key bearing the emblem of the Maiden "Star Dress form! Virgo!" She hoarsely shouted as shimmering golden light surrounded and eventually eclipsed her for a moment before returning her to the ground. As the blinding light faded, freeing her from its grasp, Cobra noticed out of the corner of his eye that her appearance had changed, yet was not able to perceive the entirety of the change. Shrugging this diminutive inconsequential detail, he launched himself at the hoard of colossal arachnids which were nearly upon them; Shouting out as he flew towards the monsters "Poison Dragon's Roar!" Before the deep red amethyst rays of his magic could reach the towering mass of long spindly writhing legs, a massive gaping hole in the earth precipitously appeared, swallowing over half of the myriad of spiders. 'Wait, What? What in Earthland was that?! Did I really just see that?' Still reeling from the abruptness of it all, he quickly adapted and thusly altered the course of his attack.  
"Poison Dragon's Crushing Fang!" He barked out as he turned his attack on the remaining few; passing a glancing blow upon the greatest spider before scuttled away, milky eyes rolling from within its decrepit gray body.  
________________________________________  
'Whew. Glad that's over with. Remind me to speak to the Old Man about landings 'cause crash landing ain't fun especially when you're dragging an extra person; speaking of partners, mine's been awfully quiet. . . Actually now that I think of it who did I grab?' Gray scratched his head trying and failing to recall whom he had clung onto.  
'I'm just glad that Juvia isn't here or else . .' He shuddered 'Knowing her, she would find a way to cling to me and dream up the delusion that I was taking her over the bridal threshold. I am so relieved that First picked mostly sane people for this trip.' Feminine voice breaking through the Ice Make Mage's train of thought, Gray jumped slightly, correcting himself as the raft teetered precariously side to side as he looked down at who had spoken only to groan in frustration.  
"Thanks for the save Ice Boy; since you are carrying me like this does this mean that I'm going to be your woman?" Flare Corona asked in her usual tone of insanity in voice and eyes as she slowly sidled closer.  
Groaning once again but this time in horror, Gray felt shivers slid down his back 'I've traded one weirdo for another! Why me? What Kami did I tick off enough to curse me in this wretched horrible way?!'  
________________________________________  
The Poison dragon slayer glanced around the surrounding area which was still currently smoldering with dark miasma of his magic. His gaze lingered on the same spot that had so recently swallowed a great number of the overwhelming force of spiders. The fight was finished almost before its commencement and in that moment he all of a sudden remembered the blinding flash of golden light that had originated from the little blonde wizard, who had been surprisingly silent throughout the whole ordeal.  
Whirling around, amethyst eye flashing, Cobra stalked over to where Lucy was wordlessly watching him survey the scene. Jabbing his finger in her face, he glared at her. "What was that?! What happen to the whole damsel in distress act you had going on? And since when do you use earth magic? Or is that just something else you lied about?" So caught up in his rant, Cobra failed to read the steady waves of fury rolling off of the previously terrified Celestial Mage: the fists at her sides that were clenched so tight her knuckles whitened, her eye brows steadily forming an angry V shape as she contemplated Lucy kicking him into oblivion.  
That got Cobras attention. "Don't you dar-"  
"Lucy Kick!" Cobra's words were cut off as Lucy's foot connected with his face and subsequently sent him flying across the clearing. "You Jerk! I was just trying to help!" She cried, waving an arm to emphasize her point, using the other to discreetly brush the tears from her eyes.  
About to retaliate, Cobra was taken aback when he smelled the salty scent of tears. His anger gradually receded when he finally looked up from where he had landed and noticed her brown eyes rimmed with red. 'Crap . . She's crying. . What should I do? Think Erik! Think!' "Look," he said sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck with one hand "I . . . I'm sorry okay? Just don't cry."  
"I'm not crying because of you, you colossal jackass! I. . . I just don't like spiders! That's all. And now I swear I'm going to have nightmares about this for the rest of my life!" She sniffed.  
"Right. . ." Cobra said as he subtly checked her any kind of injury; in the process he could not help but notice her attire. Mind boggling as he took in the lacy apron, the short black shirt. 'Is that. . . Is that what I think it is? No, tell me she's not wearing a freaking maid costume?! First and foremost, how and when? When did she have time to . . . ? Oh right. The flash of light. Now it makes slightly more sense. Though actually she doesn't look half ba—Wait what am I thinking? Heartfilia is NOT my type!'  
"Ano . . . Cobra-kun? Are you alright?"  
Snapping out his Lucy induced daze, he shook his head futility trying to get his mind out of the gutter 'Kuso! I can't let her distract me like this!' Erik cursed in his mind as he attempted to formulate a reply that would answer the Celestial Mage's inquiries "Just call me Cobra."  
Lucy blinked 'Did he just say what I think he said?'  
Internally cursing one more, Cobra mentally face palmed 'Of all the things that had to pop up why'd it have to be that?!'  
*Whoooom!*  
"Nastu!" Lucy exclaimed loudly as she turned towards the explosion; her eyes wide as she beheld the large plumes of smoke rising in the distance.  
"Yeesh Woman, tone it down would you?" The Dragon Slayer rasped while rubbing his pained ears.  
"Oh! Sorry Conra-ku . . . Erm Cobra" She corrected herself when she saw his look "I just forgot about your Soul Listening Magic" Lucy sheepishly apologized  
"You forgot?!"  
"Ha-hai?!" She stuttered at his incredulous expression 'It's not like I meant to! Just with him not being a gargantuan sized jerk and the spiders, it slipped my mind.' The blonde thought as she childishly imagined herself sticker her tongue out while pulling her eye down at him.  
Erik barked out a laugh as he shook his head, chest shaking from repressed amusement "Really Heartfillia, really?"  
"Hmph!" Was her oh so eloquent reply as she began the trek towards Natsu, sticking her nose in the air as she stalked past a greatly bemused Cobra.  
________________________________________  
'Ah crap.' Natsu groaned as he fell 'what move should I utilize?! Eeny, meeny, miny . . . moe!' With a grin the Slayer allowed himself to fall the remaining distance taking a deep breath before bursting into brilliant vermillion flames "Fire Dragon King's Demolition Fist!"  
*Booooom!*  
"Whew that was a close call. . ." He mumbled to himself rubbing a hand across his salmon hair, noticing that his partner in crime was exhaustedly making his downward. "Hey Happy! How ya faring?"  
"Tired . . ." The little blue exceed barely got out before keeling over into waiting Meredy's arms as she smiled down at adorable fur ball.  
"He was so brave." The Crime Sorcière member murmured, absently stroking his soft azure fur as she surveyed the demolished field they had landed in.  
Grinning his trade mark smile, Natsu turned to his faithful companion lightly stroking him; charcoal eyes going soft "Yeah he's one courageous feline. Don't know what I'd do without him."  
"One could say the same about you Natsu-kun."  
He cocked his head to side inquisitively "Me?"  
Meredy held in the tinkling laugh that wanted to explode out of her at his shockingly sudden cute expression. 'My hero' she thought shaking her head at his denseness as she waved his enquiry away.  
Abruptly serious, Natsu crouched down in front of the Magulity Mage, pushing her out way as a red light raced across the battered field, throwing the Dragon Slayer across its once green acres.  
"Natsu-kun!"  
"Stay down Meredy! This guy is mine!" He snapped, holding his paralyzed arm to his chest as he let loose his aura 'I make him pay for trying to hurt my nakama when my back was turned' "Fire Dragon's Roar!"  
"Reducto!" Shouted the heavily scarred man as he brought his wand up to block the powerful flame attack.  
"Enough! Step down Alastor!" Seeing that the attacks had stopped for the moment, the elderly man who had stopped any further attacks from happening; raised his hands in a pacifying manner.  
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore approached the fiery teen carefully as he eyed the pinkette laying on the ground along with her partner, ready to defend himself if need be. "I am the Headmaster of these grounds Albus Dumbledore. I would kindly ask you to introduce yourselves and state your reasons for being here before my old friend breaks out of my seal" He stated, half hoping that they were the "Fairies" sent to aid him but the second part wondering why would send children of all people.  
Remaining tensed, the Dragon Slayer discreetly scented the air, appraising whether or not he should relax. When gray haired man with the oddly smelling stick made no move to attack did Natsu relax enough to answer. "Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail"  
Dumbledore blinked "Pardon?"  
"You wanted my name right Old Man? Well that's it."  
"Ah I see. And the latter question? What is your response to that?" Albus inquired, mind running a mile a minute.  
Speaking for the first time since the whole debacle had started, Meredy stepped forward. Long flowing pink hair swaying within the confines of its ponytail, Exceed still asleep in her arms. "Before we answer your questions we would ask you to answer where we are."  
Eyes narrowing minutely, the perplexed Wizard contemplated the repercussions of his answer. "Currently we at the Quidditch field . . Which is located on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which you are trespassing on" Dumbledore said as he stared at the strikingly beautiful bubblegum haired mage in front of him.  
As if a light had switched Natsu's personality went from deathly serious to happy to lucky in no time flat "Oh! So you're the one Gramps sent us to help."  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily at the rambunctious youth behind half-moon glasses. "So it would seem that you are the "Fairies" that the founders' will spoke of. I must say, you are not what I expected. Please don't take this the wrong way but surely the both of you cannot defend Hogwarts by yourselves." He said with a smile.  
"If I may speak, Natsu-kun and I aren't the only ones who have come to assist in the defense this school" Meredy interrupted flatly without any inflection in her voice.  
"Ah, I see. I do not believe that we've had the pleasure of being introduced yet"  
"Meredy " Natsu shot her a puzzled glance silently wondering what she up to. Feeling a sudden sense of reassurance resonating from the direction of his wrist, he looked down and noticed the single magical pink bracelet glowing on his right hand. With an understanding nod Natsu sent back a feelings of friendship and trust as he felt the intense gratitude flow into him.  
"And who might you be the others that you speak of?"  
"Us."  
Chapter Four-  
Both of the wizards froze when they heard the consonant of voices behind them. Beginning to turn around only to be stopped by a broadly bladed sword wielded by an coldly furious redhead back by nine other mages; all of whom were flickering with their various magic colors. "Which of you are responsible for harming these people?!"  
"And what are planning on doing if you find out?"  
Moody snorted "Isn't it obvious Albus, they'll try and kill us"  
"What you wonder?" Erza flatly asked, ignoring the scarred wizard "My friends, why don't you enlighten these fiends what Fairy Tail does to those who hurt one of our own."  
"Gladly" They smirked, eyes glowing demonic red in their perceived injustice "We repay them a hundred times over."  
Despite themselves the veteran warriors took a step back at the suddenly nefarious expressions on such seemingly young faces.  
All of them fanning out, they surrounded the duo, magic circles appearing around each individuals feet.  
"Requip!"  
"Open Gate of the-"  
"Iron Dragon's-"  
"Takeover Magic-"  
"Solid Script Magic-"  
"Poison Drag-"  
"Hair Wol-"  
"Lighting Stri-"  
"Sky Dri-"  
"Ice Make-"  
Acting quickly Meredy leaped in front of the Wizards, holding her arms out to stop the angry mages. "Wait don't fire! It was all just a misunderstanding!" Everyone pausing in their attacks as to not hit the pink haired shipping demon.  
"Natsu, is what she says true?" Erza questioned, swords still to Dumbeldore and Mad Eye's throats.  
"Yeah" He grinned "They're residents of the castle we were sent to protect."  
"Say what!"  
"Oy Flamebrain, if they aren't the enemy then who hurt you guys?"  
"I shot a stunning spell at them and he blocked it with his arm" Moody rasped in the boy's place.  
"Okay, so that explains your wear and tears, but what about the Meredy's?"  
She blinked "Who me? Natsu-kun pushed me down but besides that I haven't the foggiest"  
"Tch. Have you looked at the state of your clothes recently?" Gajeel looked away to avoid a certain shrimps wrath if he were to stare to long. That book bag hurt!  
"Noo. . ." The pinkette drawled as she glanced downward only to shriek in horror. "Eeek!"  
Almost all the men glanced away as the woman grimaced in sympathy; having had their wardrobe torn to shreds at least once in a brawl. 'You know' Lucy pondered as she thought back in remembrance shuddering as unwelcome images rose to the surface, a certain Slayer unintentionally or intentionally listened too 'The state of her dress really brings back a sense of Déjà-vu. I wonder were I . . Oh right'she dead panned 'How could I forget. Natsu after the Grand Magic Games, the year following disbandment. I still can't believe he melted almost everyone's garments and then proceeded to beat the ever living daylights out of the reigning "champions" just to see how strong they were' Lucy sweat dropped. 'Which wasn't very. Though, it was nice to see someone from my family after four seasons hiatus.'  
Barley concealing his incredulous expression, Cobra could not help but remark upon the flame user's idiocy "You moronic nincompoop! Don't tell me you burnt my guild mate's clothes like did Heartfillia's!"  
The said ignoramus rubbed his head sheepishly "Eheh . . . I may of lost control for a moment? But hey!" He grinned "I didn't burn her!"  
"Yes, and not scorching her is any better! You just gave the girl physiological problems" Laxus sarcastically rolled his eyes at Igneel's son.  
"Naaatssssuuu-kuuuunn!" Meredy wailed covering herself with the furred jacket that the Lightening Dragon Slayer casually tossed her way.  
________________________________________  
"Well, now that we are settled down, and the excitement is over with, how about some introductions. Ah, and what is your name young lady?"Dumbledore said jovially as he conjured a pot of tea along with fourteen cups; scones magically appearing while he spoke to the requip user.  
"Erza Scarlett" She replied stiffly watching the food and drink warily half-wishing to prod it with her sword to check if it was safe.  
Albus handed a mug of tea to the aforementioned lady before moving onto the blonde man next to her "What a lovely name, and you, what title do you go by?"  
"Laxus Dreyar, leader of this team" He glared, eyes flaring draconic blue, lightening sparking around him, creating scorch marks on the ground as he warned the old man not to touch what was his.  
The headmaster's eyes widened slightly as he unconsciously moved back a step, something on a primal level warning him to back away from this predator; Moody's wand rising instinctively.  
"Right" The elderly wizard spoke as he recovered, turning to the dark haired man who had a flame haired woman clinging to him, no even having to speak before the Mage introduced himself along with the slightly demented appearing lady.  
"Gray Fullbuster and this is Flare Corona."  
"A . . . plea-sure" She creepily whispered, red orbs wide as the Hair Mage watched him move onto the next person.  
"And who might you be?" He asked the small bluenette who was being dwarfed by the large dragon slayer next to her.  
"Wendy Marvel, Dumbledore-san. It's a pleasure to meet you!" She replied sweetly, bowing once.  
"Same my dear. And you are?" He addressed the dark red eyed man standing with the petite blue haired woman  
"Che, I don't see why that any of your business!"  
"Oh hush you!" Levy elbowed him harshly, the former council member hissing in pain. "I'm Levy McGarden and this hunk of metal next to me Gajeel Redfox. I've gotta ask, do you have any good history/language books here?"  
'Now this reminds me of a certain Gyrffindor. It seems that no matter the world some people never change.' Smiling, Dumbledore let his amusement be known as he let out a bemused chuckle "Indeed we do young lady. Remind me to show you Hogwart's library when there is free time since I have this strange inkling that you won't be seen for a long time once you enter." The Solid Script Mage let out a tinkling laugh as she agreed wholeheartedly with the man.  
"I am Mirajane Strauss. It is so nice to meet you." She beamed up at the wizard in front of her, bright navy eyes sweetly beguiling him into believing that she was harmless.  
Looking briefly towards Natsu and Meredy as Mad Eye made his way around the room. Albus let out a rueful sigh as he moved onto the next person no even having to speak before the one eyed guild member introduced himself tersely with an "I'm called Cobra" Cleary wishing to not be spoken to which the elderly man respected as he moved to the second blonde. "And what title do you go by if may do ask?"  
"Lucy Heartfillia; Hajimemashite." The key holder bowed, long golden ponytail swishing.  
'What a polite child. She seems much more . . . Sane? Than the others' He mused quietly from within the confines of his mind.  
With that Cobra snorted aloud, drawing the attention of the tensed room. "Have something to say boy?!" Mad Eye rudely questioned as he jabbed his wand in the Slayer's direction.  
"Alastor that is enough" Dumbledore stated softly, but in a tone of abject firmness, obviously wishing for him to leave "Now, if I may ask, what did find so funny?"  
"Nothing much. I can't believe the irony that you believe Heartfillia is sane. Just wait until you anger her, that idea will go flying out of the window with you!" Erik chortled semi evilly; having seen many instances were the bright bubbly blonde had turned into "Scary Lucy" and become just as insane or worse than the rest of her guild.  
Albus raised his eyebrows dubiously "Personal experience my boy?"  
"You could say that" Cobra grumbled nearly wincing at the remembrance of his own punishment.  
"Well then now that we're all introduced, how about we discuss our plan"  
"There is no need for that Dumbeldore-san. I've already compiled a strategy."  
"Oh? What is it?"  
"It's actually quite simple really. We pose as students from a foreign school and become integrated with the students in order to protect them."  
Dumbledore stroked his beard "Hmm your idea has merit Miss Heartfillia, But -" He glanced at Laxus "Mr. Dreyar couldn't possibly pass as a student."  
"So why doesn't he pose as the headmaster?" Levy inquired from beside Gajeel's hulking form.  
"I'd be up for that. It would be good practice for me"  
"Practice?"  
"He's next in line to become guild master after his grandfather steps down" Wendy shyly explained, turning beet red as everyone stared at her, face rapidly averting towards the stone floor.  
Laxus ruffled the quiet slayer's hair drawing her eyes back up to meet his abnormally softened face "And don't you forget it squirt."  
Dumbledore gayly* clapped his hands once, garnering the team's attention "Now that we have that settled, perhaps we oughtn't tot off to bed since it is fast becoming late before we brainstorm anymore." he paused blue eyes twinkling as he lowered his voice mysteriously "After all, some of the best made plans happen while you sleep."  
________________________________________  
Sitting down in his office chair, the headmaster wearily took off his half-moon spectacles as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, deep in thought. 'These children are not to be trifled with. Especially their leader Laxus Dreyar and that boy . . . Natsu Dragneel it feels like you are staring down a ferocious dragon when they are greatly angered. I believed for a second there that the child was going to rip Alastor to shreds.'Hearing a mournful coo, Albus turned to stroke his brilliant hued auburn toned Phoenix Fawkes "Hello old friend, what do you think of these new arrivals?" The majestic creature lightly shuffled his wings in an almost shrugging manner before letting out a keening cry as he soared off into the night. 'That reminds me. That scarred man, Cobra I think he said his name was; the way he acted, it was unnerving to say the least ' Albus frowned as he reflected further 'What I am wondering is how he answered a statement that had never seen the light of day'  
Stroking his beard once again, Dumbledore could not help but ask rhetorically "Just what kind of power do you possess Cobra?"  
"Only time will tell."  
~~~Next Morning~~~  
Becoming in tune with the waking world once more, Lucy noticed noticed an odd shuffling sound. Opening her eyes discreetly from where she lying down, the blonde's eyes widened as they took in the . . . Odd looking creature with way to many hats walking around inspecting them. Quickly roving her eyes around to see if anyone else noticed the peculiar thing; Lucy meet a serious purple eye as well as an electric blue pair and the cold calm onyx of her teammate. Nearly sighing in relief at the sight of her friends who could take care of it caused Erik to smirk in his own derogatory manner. Lucy glared daggers at him mentally punching his face imagining graphically the crunch of his nose breaking 'Ha! Take you over grown lizard!'  
Cobra's single orb widened comically before narrowing as his fanged smirk turned downright evil as he made to get up from his perch against to stone wall as he crept quietly towards the Celestial Mage, feet nary making a sound as he padded past the curious elfin being only for it to look up and shrieked in fright at the sight of serpentine man right beside him. "Tone it down! You obnoxious freak!" Erik hissed, rubbing his ringing ears, sorely tempted to rebound the noise back at the loud pest and see how it liked getting a migraine the size of Crocus.  
"Please don't hurt Doby Sir!" The tiny house elf squeaked.  
Cobra glared, looming over the creature that was a few steps from the long haired blonde "If you didn't want to be hurt, then you shouldn't put your long nose into other people's business!"  
The free elf began to tremble at the familiar glower on the mage's face "Doby didn't mean any harm. Honest. He was just curious why there were children in Hogwarts great hall." He wrung his hands, nervously looking every which way as his ears hung dejectedly. "When youse didn't feel right Doby kept investigating. Doby was curious. Doby apologizes"  
"Oy, stop acting so pathetic" Laxus boomed as he strode over conveniently tripping over Natsu's face as he slumbered on oblivious to the outside world.  
"Yeah, would ya please cut the racket. Some of us are still trying to sleep."  
"Oh! Gajeel you're awake!"  
"No, really? I thought I was still in dreamland, Bunny Girl."  
"Don't call me that!"  
"Ahem." Gray awkwardly coughed doing his best not to wake Scary Lucy from her hopefully long slumber "We might want to get to the matter at hand before Flamebrain tries to roast the thing, thinking that it is a weirdly shaped fish."  
"Doby's not a thing! Doby is a free house elf!"  
"House elf? What's that?"  
"Youse don't know what a house elf is?!"  
"Of course not! Or else she wouldn't have asked pea brain." Gajeel snarled, coming vehemently to Lucy's defense.  
"I'ms sorry, Doby never meant to insult the young miss. Its just that everyone knows what wes are"  
"And what are you in this world?" Laxus questioned impatiently  
"Slaves. Wes treated like dirt wes are."  
"You're slaves?" Cobra asked sharply, knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white as his gaze turned predatory.  
"Not all elves"  
They whirled around, surprised at the sudden voice, bodies tensed as they beheld to the motionless man at the doors.  
Erik stalked up to the headmaster fingers staring to glow the venomous wine red of his poison "You mean to say that most are kept in shackles." He hissed furiously, acidic drops sizzling as they met the hard floor.  
Dumbledore made a soothing gesture, carefully examining the youth "I cannot say no to that, but you should know that much is being done to improve their lifestyles." 'Even if it isn't much.'  
"Bull-" Cobra began only to pause as he felt a feather light touch upon the blindside of his face. Twisting around, He saw Heartfillia looking softly at him, none of her usual spunk present.  
"Cobra listen to me" She stressed softly, soul vibrating a hauntingly quiet yet soothing melody as it showed him just how much she understood.  
His eye widened as he was taken out of the present and back to the past.  
________________________________________  
"Daddy, I made you this rice ball. See it even has a smiley face."  
". ."  
"Ano, I'll just lay-"  
"Enough Lucy!" Thundered her father as he sent both the gift and her flying to the floor "I don't have the time for your foolishness! Cooking what a useless skill for a debutante to learn.  
Go study something productive for once!"  
The young blonde coward, holding her throbbing cheek, fighting the tears that yearned to spew out as she looked at the remains of her present. "But, but it's my birthday. . ." She whimpered quietly as she scrambled out of her father's study.  
________________________________________  
"Why are you going after Fairy Tail?"  
"You don't know? Your father tasked Phantom Lord with the job of bringing his precious daughter home."  
Lucy's eyes widened before deadening "I can't believe it . . ." She brokenly whispered.  
"Why can't you? After all what father wouldn't want his dear darling returned?"  
"Not him, he didn't even notice after a year that I was gone. So why now?" the light Mage murmured, voice growing impassioned "I won't go back! I refuse! I will not return to that prison!"  
________________________________________  
"Ah, good I see that you stopped this tomfoolery and come back home" Jude Heartfillia stated as he turned from gazing out the window "Now that you are back, you can quit that silly guild of yours.  
In a couple of days a high standing duke will be coming here to marry you. I expect a boy heir within a year. " Moving towards his desk to sit down, he continued "That is all. You are dismissed."  
________________________________________  
"All I need is ten thousand jewel" he spread his hands out "Surely you can spare that much."  
"I'm sorry dad but I cannot do that."  
"Preposterous! Why not?! You are a guild wizard! You must have at least some loose change"  
"Because I don't have ten-"  
________________________________________  
As soon as the collage of memories slowed, Cobra reluctantly tore himself away from the bare, open soul that was urging him so tantalizingly to plunge deeper, to meld his physic to hers. He gritted his teeth, drawing himself away from the siren song. 'Control Erik. Heartfillia wouldn't appreciate you taking things to that level.' Internally his dragon roared at the loss; hunger not slaked in the slightest.  
Feeling the feathery touch move in soothing circles, the slayer opened the eye that he never remembered closing, to see a bright eyed blonde smile tumultuously up at him. "Bright eyes. ." He whispered 'What a fitting name for her. The one who had also experienced the torture of shackles and still could smile through the loneliness.' His lips twisted 'Even though her bonds may not have been metal like mine, even silk fetters begin to chafe.'  
"Cobra?"Her surprised voice shook him out of his reverie as he took in how he was tightly clasping her hands, stopping them from exploring the nuances of his face.  
With a startled gasp Erik released her hands as though burned, stepping away quickly, all the while ignoring the incredulous thoughts and questions swirling through the now awake tachi's brains.  
Clearing his throat loudly, Dumbledore gained all twelve of the travelers attention. "I believed that it would be best to tell you this now before something else grabbed my attention." He looked around "Later tonight the students of Hogwarts will arriving and that is when you will be sorted into your respective house that you will be staying at during your sojourn here. So, I suggest in the kindest way possible to have prepared and refined your plot before evening."  
Chapter Five-  
"A thousand years or more ago,  
When I was newly sown,  
There lived four wizards far renown,  
Among them one left unknown,  
Traverser of the dimensions,  
She was so named,  
Lost, scared, and alone,  
Brave Gryffindor rescued,  
Gentle Hufflepuff healed,  
Wise Ravenclaw directed,  
Mighty Slytherin guided,  
Light sputtering,  
Darkness coming,  
Flame's brother,  
Death incarnate knocks,  
Fairies return,  
New dawn approaching,  
Light, fire, steel and wood,  
Banish the bad,  
Sky, ice, devil and storm,  
Cleanse the vile,  
Iron, ink, sun and emotions,  
Fight for what's right,  
Poison hearing the unspoken and forgotten.  
Beware,  
Evil lurks in these halls.  
(Something evil this way comes,)  
Beware . . ."  
The old decrepit hat trailed off, going silent after abruptly singing an impromptu song after the sorting.  
The crowd sat dumbstruck in the wake of the hat's second warning in a row, began to whisper to one another; curious about these mysterious powers that it spoke of, gaining much volume as voices rang from wall to wall only to abruptly taper off, when the headmaster himself raised his voice quieting the vociferous crowd with his commanding voice. "While I cannot attempt to understand what has been prophesied, I would personally like to thank each and every one of you for attending Hogwarts. Even in these dark days." Albus Dumbledore began "That being said, it is my honor to present to you a school that has traveled a great length to reach us.  
"I do hope you will make them feel welcome during their sojourn here. So, without any further ado please welcome Fairy Tail School of Magery and it's headmaster Laxus Dreyar!" He thundered, arms wide as the great hall doors swung open with a mighty clash revealing the Lighting Dragon Slayer to be at point with Erza and Mira on either side of him, the rest of Team Natsu fanning out behind. Gajeel and Levy directly abaft with Flare, Cobra and Meredy taking the rear; all in matching black uniforms that were extremely reminiscent of the Grand Magic Games.  
"Blimey that blonde bloke has a scar bigger than yours Harry! Harry?" Ron exclaimed only to glance around in puzzlement when his friend did not answer.  
"Ronald!" Hermione hissed, blushing when the handsome man glanced her way. Internally fanning herself. "If you were paying attention at all, you would have known that Harry never disembarked with us. In fact he's late!" That being said, the bookworm went back to studying the new arrivals; gobsmacked that there were so many hot guys and an unfair amount of gorgeous woman too. Hearing a quiet snicker, Hermione looked up to meet the passing gaze of a deeply tanned man with pointed ears and a single eye. 'Wait. One eye?' She questioned 'What could have possibly happened to him? Not that it detracts from his good looks. In fact it only serves to add-' quickly slapping a hand against her cheek, the Witch could not help but feel mortified. Especially when it seemed that the man she had been so admiring could somehow know her thought process.  
Barley managing to suppress a full out grin at the flattering comments coming from the direction of the girl they had just passed on the way to the head table, Cobra smirked to himself. 'So my sacrificed eye attracts girls. I wonder if it would work-' He grabbed that thought, burned it and stomped on the ashes. 'Don't even go there Erik.' He scowled.  
Ron whistled "If there was a person more meant for Slytherin it would be that bloke." He commented as Cobra glowered, frightening the first years as well as several upper class men.  
"I have ta agree with Weasley." Seamus stated, leaning over the table in a conversational manner, Scottish brogue thick. "Personally I think most of tha bunch appears like snakes ta mey."  
Hermione slammed her book on the table. "Don't judge people before knowing them!" She huffed, indignant at the injustice that was already being thrust on these new arrivals. Irritation rolling of her in waves "In my opinion, you lot are acting much more judgmental than the ones you're criticizing! So do try and take the basilisk sized log out of your own eye before attempting to dispose of the splinter in your neighbors!"  
"Blimey where's Harry when you need him?!" Ron and Seamus bemoaned simultaneously.  
"What are you talking about? I'm right here."  
"Harry!"  
"Oh Harry what ever happened to your face? Here, Tergeo."  
He felt the blood leave his face "Thanks Hermione." He mumbled looking around as he stalwartly avoided Malfoy's belittling gestures. "Errm . . . what's going on? Those don't look like first years."  
"Oh that's right! You weren't here for there introduction!" Hermione gushed excitedly. "Apparently they come from a distant country and they have come to study with us for the year! Not to mention the hat's song!"  
"Really?" Harry asked, eyes lingering on the tall male with the large lightening scar. Wondering if he got his the same way that his came about.  
"Now," Professor Mcgonagall sternly began "During this year your house will like your family. If you lose points so does your house. That being said, when I call your name please step forward and allow the hat to sort you." She brandished the scroll, frowning ever so slightly as she commenced listing off the first name.  
"Cobra."  
"That guy has got to be a serpent! I mean look at his name and appearance!" Dean whispered loudly across the table; earning a scalding glare from the resident bookworm at their table.  
Erik very nearly snorted at all the ruckus his pseudo name caused when it was called.  
'Well isn't this exciting.' A dry voice crackled. Causing Cobra to jump, involuntarily bringing his poison up as memories from his painful past rose up. 'Now, now no need to be hasty. I'm just doing my job.' It pacified.  
'Then I suggest that you do it faster!' He growled back.  
''Ah, quite a temper you have there. Hmm. . . It seems you have sacrificed much in your hellish lifetime. Such pain and heartbreak . . . I know just where to put you.'  
"Slytherin!"  
Gladly taking off the ghastly annoying thing, Cobra made his way quickly to the table Mcgonagall pointed him towards, hoping for some peace and quiet.  
Upon reaching it however he was bombarded with questions that hurt his ears and gave him a migraine. He suddenly quite acutely missed Bright Eyes's calm insanity of a soul.  
Rubbing his temples he let out a low warning growl as one insistent blonde grabbed his shoulder; a blonde quite different from one he had just been thinking of.  
'Actually it's a bit of a toss up who's more annoying... Blondie or that pseudo dragon boy Draco..' Cobra thought irritably after disgustedly listening to Malfoy's arrogantly patronizing thoughts.  
"Did you just growl?!" Draco exclaimed scornfully as he unsuccessfully attempted to glare down at the man sitting beside him, one who sat well over six inches taller than him. Appearing vexed at being so studiously and resolutely ignored.  
"Don't. Touch. Me. " Erik glowered pushing the boy's hand off none to gently, as he turned to watch the sorting.  
"Corona Flare"  
The seemingly demented redhead made her way to indicated seat, cap landing on her head nary a second before shouting loudly; startling the dragon slayers with noise as it deafened them.  
"HUFFELPUFF!"  
"Say what?!" Most of school shouted sans a certain Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw.  
"Honestly. I don't see why you're so surprised Ronald." Hermione imperiously added.  
"Dragneel Natsu"  
"Humph." Draco crossed his arms. Happy to finally have something to critiqued and complain about. "What kind of fool has name like that?"  
"What kind of parents name their child after the first dragon?" Cobra swiftly retorted, sufficiently silencing the prattling blonde.  
"Gryffindor!"  
"That was quick." Laxus idly commented, managing to look mildly impressed.  
Lucy smiled lightly "Well what did you expect? Natsu clearly belongs in the House that holds the foolishly brave." She said fondly, making it very clear she meant no insult.  
He snorted, shook his head and shot her a knowing smile, "Fits Flamebrain to a T."  
"That it does." Lucy replied with a warm smile.  
"Fullbuster Gray"  
"Yeah! Let's do this!" He cheered as he made his way over to the stool. Somehow managing to strip in record time.  
"Gray! Your clothes!" The team shouted in complete harmony.  
"Crap!" He exclaimed. Searching like mad for his pile of garments that had gotten scattered; all the while worriedly wondering what Erza was going to do when they were not in public. 'Probably fillet me like one of Happy's fish.' He thought with a shudder 'She gave me a definitive order Not to strip under pain of Erza. I'm gonna die!'  
'I highly doubt that you will be killed my lad. After all, one of the most powerful wizards lives here.'  
'Then you've never met our Titania.'  
'We shall see . . .' It trailed off as the hat began searching every nook and cranny. 'Seems that you have had much grief in your short lifetime as well as painful sacrifices.' It sighed 'Ah, well it better be-'  
"Slytherin!"  
"Did that guy just strip?!" Asked Neville, slightly traumatized by the sight of Gray's distinct lack of attire.  
"Indeed he did." A light dreamy voice murmured next to the Boy Who Lived, causing him to yelp quietly. "Are you alright Harry?"  
"Just peachy" he wheezed clutching a hand to his throat as he tried to disperse the water that had made it to his throat.  
"If you say say so." She said as Hermione waved her wand in Harry's direction; allowing him get some air.  
"I must say though, that tattoo was rather interesting."  
"What do you mean Luna?"  
"Oh, you didn't notice?" She said, sounding disappointed.  
"What are you talking about?" Hermione impatiently asked. Wishing that the Ravenclaw would hurry up.  
"It was glowing brightly. Just like a bright moon." Luna said softly as she made her way back to the Ravenclaw table, examining the rest of the emblems.  
"Heartfilia Lucy"  
"Wow that girl is loaded!" Crabbe pervertedly stated to his boss, as he leaned over to leer as the vivacious blonde walked up to the platform.  
"She is, isn't she." Draco observed a bit too closely for Cobra and Gray's state of mind. Upon the trios' lascivious thoughts toward the blonde, a certain poison dragon slayer wanted to violently pummel each of their faces into the stone floor of the great hall. No matter how much Cobra ached to take slightly more drastic measures, the very real threat of Titania's hammer kept him rooted in his seat. So he went with Gray on the second less favorable option of telling Malfoy that; Painfully, each with a fist into his nose.  
________________________________________  
"Blimey! What could that rat have said to garner that response?"  
"I don't know but I hope it hurts." Harry vindictively stated, feeling perverse happiness despite the fact that they were both Slytherins; having a definite sense of satisfaction at Malfoy's pummeling.  
________________________________________  
'Hello, do you have a name by chance?'  
The hat chuckled 'Nay. My makers never saw fit to give any other title besides Sorting Hat.'  
'And that doesn't bother you?' She frowned down at the hat, concern welling up for the battered fedora.  
'You know, in the whole entire history of Hogwarts only one other has ever asked that of me.'  
'Really?' Lucy asked shocked and a little bit outraged at the people's abuse. 'Who was the other person?' She questioned 'I would very much like to meet someone who actually cares for others.'  
'And meet her you shall. Of that I have no doubt. After all, birds of a feather flock together.'  
'To true.' The key holder mused to herself as she felt the relic of ages past sift through memory after memory.  
Speaking for the first time in minutes, the hat declared defeat. 'To my pride and shame I cannot find a place for you in any of the Houses.' He mournfully stated.  
Lucy felt her eyes begin to sting with unshed tears 'Wha-what are you saying?' She swallowed tightly trying and failing to moisten her suddenly parched throat. 'I don't belong in any of them? Not one?' Hurt and depression welling up.  
________________________________________  
Eye widening as he stood up in shock, Erik let out a foul curse that instantly caught Gray's attention. "What's wrong Cobra?!"  
"It's Bright Eyes. Something's wrong." He urgently rasped "Her soul . . . It is in agony."  
The air turned frosty while ice began to creep across the table making people yelp as their appendages got frozen to the table. "Who hurt her. Who made my Nakama cry."  
"I don't know. But when I do. . . There will be Hell to pay." The poison master finished ominously, sitting back down to avoid being pointlessly lectured. He had enough of those in prison to last more than a life time. He owed Heartfillia. For both her bright smile and welcoming heart.  
Meanwhile the rest of the Slytherin house slowly started to creep away from the evil incarnate twins. After watching Draco's rather harsh treatment helplessly, they wisely learned not to antagonize the newcomers.  
________________________________________  
'Please, could you explain why?' Lucy morosely asked, growing increasingly depressed with each second.  
'Why are you so distraught?!' The hat exclaimed. 'The reason that I cannot sort is not because you are lacking; rather it is quite the opposite young lady. For you see, you fit the criteria for All of the Great Houses. My dear, you should be proud not sad!'  
'Rea-really?!' She stuttered whiskey orbs wide and hopeful.  
'Indeed. I am quite befuddled by you. I have never once in my life met someone as Loyal as Helga, Brave as Godric, or as Wise as Rowena. I most certainly have never had the profound pleasure of meeting a person who shares traits that even Salazar would have approved.' The hat paused in its monologue, 'Which is why I leave the choice with you My Lady.'  
'Tell me something Hat-san,' She said after a prolonged, thoughtful pause.  
'Which House needs the most guidance?'  
The hat stilled. 'The one that needs the most help eh? Well, then I know the perfect home for you.'  
"Slytherin!" It roared disrupting the eerie silence that had fallen over the entirety of Hogwarts for the past ten minutes.  
As soon as the spoke whispers broke out amongst the assembled school, the serpents and the lions the loudest.  
"Marvel Wendy"  
Minerva Mcgonagall's magically amplified voice cut through the noise like heated margarine; silencing the resounding complaints.  
'Hmm, hmm you would be great for either Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.'  
Wendy clenched her hands tightly 'Please Hat-dono, don't force me to be all alone again!' She cried out.  
'Are you sure?'  
The Sky Maiden nodded resolutely.  
'Best be-'  
"Gryffindor!"  
McGarden Levy"  
Barely touching the vivacious bluenette's head it shouted out her sorority.  
"Ravenclaw!"  
"That was fast." Harry blinked in surprise.  
"Bloody Hell mate, I think she beat Hermione's record!"  
"Ronald . . . Just what are you implying . . ."  
"Nothing! Nothing at all!"  
"Good keep it that way." She retorted with a dangerous glare that Ron knew all too well.  
"Yes ma'am!"  
"Meredy"  
"Holy Cow!" Ron and several other boys exclaimed, jaws dropping at the pink haired bombshell. "Is this school full of hotties?!"  
"I dunno mate, but I'm envious of the guys in that school." Dean said jealously, drool practically dripping from his mouth. "Can I transfer?"  
"And what are we, chopped liver?!" The unfortunate ladies of Hogwarts glared  
________________________________________  
'Hey!' Meredy cheerfully chirped when the tattered hat landed on her head.  
'Quite the ray of sunshine you are.' It observed 'Though it seems that you weren't always like that. Willing to kill yourself in order to eliminate someone for your mother figure, eh?' It hemmed and hawed for a minute before finally coming to a decision.  
"Slytherin!"  
"Say what?!" Three tables vociferously shouted simultaneously while the serpents, minus the girls, smirked widely, gloating that they had gotten two drop dead beauties when Gryffindor had only gotten one flat chested child and a salmon haired guy.  
"Redfox Gajeel"  
"Tch." He put away the iron that he had been discreetly munching on during the long and tedious ceremony; stepping up to the stool as the stern professor placed the Storting device atop his head.  
Sensitive ears hearing tinkling giggles originating from the blue and green tables, the Iron Dragon Slayer glared ominously over at the greatly amused Script and Celestial Mage both of whom only laughed harder at the amusing sight of Gajeel trying to be intimidating with a wizards hat perched on his head.  
________________________________________  
Meanwhile Natsu rolled on the floor guffawing loudly at the other man's misfortune. "Bahaha! Your face! Haha!"  
"Umm, do you think he's gone bonkers?" Asked Ron confused as he stared at the amused teen.  
"Not sure." Harry answered, looking from Natsu to Wendy trying and failing to see if she was loopy as well.  
"Natsu-kun please stop! People are staring!" The young bluenette insisted, tugging on his clothes as she glanced around nervously. 'What would Lucy-nee do in a situation like this?' She bit her lip, thoughts whirling through her mind at top speeds before stilling on one. 'That's it!'  
Voice imitating Lucy when she got angry, Wendy gave him an ultimatum. "Natsu . . . If you do not stop that racket right this second, I am going to put you on a train for so long that you will be unconscious for week! And after you wake up I swear I'll sic Scary Lucy and Angry Erza on you."  
Face turning a putrid shade of green at the thought, the Flame Master quickly made his way back to his seat, astounding the people around him with his speed. 'Meh! Wendy's been spending to much time with those two!'  
The Golden Trio blinked "Scary Lucy? Angry Erza? Are we missing something?" They questioned. Flabbergasted that such a sweet looking child could sound that way.  
Wendy smiled cutely up at them, attempting assuage their fears. "Don't worry hang around us for a few days. You'll see what I mean."  
________________________________________  
'Hmm another difficult one. It seems to come droves with your guild.'  
'Che. You are just realizing this now? Jeez you must be a moron.'  
The thing chuckled 'Says the slayer with a gaudy hat on his head.'  
Gajeel growled lowly 'Watch it you no good scrap of decaying cloth.'  
'So scary.' It sarcastically responded as it got to work.  
'A dark and bloody past you have my boy. But I see that you have tried your best to make amends . . . Council member eh? Willing to sacrifices, coldly analytical. . . I know the perfect place for you.'  
'About time.'  
"Ravenclaw!"  
"Huh?!"  
"Go Gajeel!" Lucy cheered along with Levy.  
"Yes very good job." The red haired Knight nodded  
"That that man got into freaking Ravenclaw when the Slytherins got the two gorgeous women?! It's not fair I tell ya!" Seamus moaned.  
"Scarlett Erza"  
"I will do my best." The redhead gallantly stated as she proudly walked to where the hat and Mcgonagall waited.  
"Whoa. . . C-check out that armor!" A tremulous Collin Creevy stammered. They all turned to look at the previously ignored black coat of arms over the already midnight uniform.  
"Blimey. . . And that sword too, what kind of school is this anyway?" Harry incredulously wondered as they all studied the armor clad student with the curved blade sheathed at her side.  
"One carries a whip and keys, one eats some sort of metal or iron, another wears armor and carries a sword while a man has a chronic stripping habit it seems from his classmates' reaction . ." Hermione mused as she tried to make sense of the strange newcomers.  
"Not to mention that most of them are sporting scars that rival Harry's!" Ginny chimed into the conversation  
"I wonder which house this one will go to?" Ron said around a mouthful of candy he had acquired from the Hogwarts Express earlier.  
Hermione gave him a disgusted look "If I had to say, then it would be Gryffindor."  
"Why do you say that?" Neville inquisitively questioned.  
She taped her lips thoughtfully. "I don't know actually. Maybe it is her demeanor. I'm not sure, but I am sure that she is destined for Gryffindor." Hermione struggled to put her thoughts into words as she closely watched the flame haired beauty reach the sorting hat and Mcgonagall. Erza sat down with a small clang, cap landing on her head. Creating a comical picture to the audience.  
________________________________________  
'Quite the stickler for the rules are you' The hat whispered in her mind. 'But I do see immense strength and bravery as well as a plethora of loyalty to your guild. Yet you also have shown some traits that Salazar would have treasured. Quiet the conundrum you are.'  
'Oh?' Erza inquired with a quirked brow, armor clacking as she crossed her arms. 'Do tell.'  
'Inquisitive as you are beautiful.' The magicked item chuckled good naturedly. 'In a way you remind me of Lady Heartfillia with that curiosity.'  
The Requip Mage's eyes darkened as an ominous aura began to surround her. 'That reminds me . . .' She trailed off. 'What did you say to Lucy that made her heart fill with pain? Tell me or else I will crush you.' Erza threatened, the hat being privy to her innermost desires to utterly destroy anyone who hurt her nakama. Especially to Lucy who was like a younger sister to her.  
'You really would go to that much length for family. I now know what house to place you in Titania Erza. I see now what the Demon Slayer spoke of.'  
"Hufflepuff!"  
"What?!" Hermione exclaimed loudly in stunned surprise and indignation at being wrong. Her thick book hit the floor with a loud thud that echoed through the hall as she stared in astonishment. "I . . . I was Wrong?!" She shrieked at the end.  
Hand rubbing along his traumatized ear, Natsu spoke, accidentally making the situation worse. "What's so bad about that?"  
Harry and Ron snickered to themselves at this question. "Then you obviously don't know her very well mate." Harry said ruefully, Ron nodded empathically along with his friend.  
"Everything!" Hermione wailed oblivious to the conversation around her, only to be silenced by Professor Mcgonagall's piercing glare as she began to read the next name.  
"Strauss Mirajane"  
The Deputy Headmistress said loudly, voice easily carrying through the hall. Flinty eyes daring anyone else to interrupt.  
Upon hearing her name called, Mira practically floating to stern woman, long silver locks flowing behind her, black dress swishing softly in the background.  
"Should I even be surprised anymore?" Seamus rhetorically queried  
"It depends Finnigan, on what you are surprised at." Ginny darkly jabbed, jealous towards Fairy Tail for having such beautiful woman to distract Harry.  
"Ri-right." He stuttered, shying away from Evil Ginny.  
"Hah! You'd fit right in with Fairy Tail, especially within my team." Natsu grinned widely, slinging a heated single sleeved arm around the incensed girl who flushed as she felt his very ripped, toned body pressed tightly against her.  
Ron growled turning on his overprotective big brother mode. "Oi! Hands off my sister!"  
At this Ginny got angry "If he wants to, he can touch me anywhere he wants!" She snapped, blushing bright red as realizes the double connotation of her words.  
"Both of you stop it! Natsu-kun please let the girl go!" Wendy pleaded fervently. Doing her best to stop this brawl before it started. 'Geez I don't know how Lucy-nee does it. Keeping Natsu-kun in line is a full time job! It's exhausting. . .'  
Aloud Wendy tiredly turned to said aforementioned pinkette. "Natsu-kun . . . You're exhausting." Wendy sighed as her head drooped to her chest, a cloud of depression hanging over her. Natsu turned to Wendy, a sad, lost puppy look in his fathomless charcoal eyes. "Lucy's said that before... Don't tell me you think so too..."  
Around them the Gryfinndor table became wide eyed at the whiplash they experienced courtesy of Fairy Tail. 'How on Earth does he go from happy go lucky to depressed in no time flat?!' They silently wondered to themselves, dumbfounded that someone could go through different emotions just like that.  
________________________________________  
'Hello Hat-kun!' Mira lightly giggled.  
'I am a firm believer now that you Fiore lot are a lot more polite than any one I've had the honor of sorting in this world.'  
She beamed 'Really?'  
'Yes.' The hat responded as he began his arduous search through her memories. 'I must admit that seeing all of your guilds memories has made me sad.'  
'Why?' The She Devil asked concerned.  
The point of the hat drooped into an almost depressed position 'All of your pasts have been filled with heart wrenching heartache. It is unfathomable to me how you children lived through half of your trials.' It shook its tattered head.  
'The only reason we survived was because of our family." Mira said reminiscently remembering how comforting the whole guild had been for both Elfman and herself after Lisanna's "death". She would do anything for her friends.  
'Do anything for them eh?'  
'Of course!' She heatedly responded back. 'They're my nakama!'  
'Is that so? Then I know which House to put you in.'  
"Hufflepuff!"  
________________________________________  
"Together again Mira?"  
"Yep!" She beamed, prancing over to her table with Flare and Erza.  
"How come we didn't get any of the pretty girls?" Ron complained, earning a sharp kick in the shin for Hermione. "Ouch! What-" He stopped at Wendy's crestfallen face that was beginning to shine with tears. His countenance went shallow as he tried unsuccessfully attempted to comfort the distraught adolescent.  
*Sniff sniff*  
"You . . . You think I'm ugly?" She cried, hands coming in front of her chocolate orbs.  
"Na-no! Of course not! Why would you think such a stupid thing!"  
Beside him, Harry groaned as he face palmed at his best mate's stupidity.  
"You think I'm stupid as well?!" Wendy bawled.  
Ron held his hands out pathetically, glancing towards his friends for help, of which he found not a single iota of.  
"I didn't mean it!" He finally cried out, panicking from all of sudden death glares coming from Fairy Tail and Hogwarts as a whole.  
Putting a comforting arm around the crying girl, Natsu snarled dangerously, heat scalding the people next to him. "Stop talking." He snapped, wishing so badly to throttle the blubbering idiot for making Wendy cry. "One more word and you will be wishing that you had never been born." The Dragon Slayer cracked his knuckles, eyeing the ginger haired moron hungrily.  
Natsu turned back to his little friend; wiping her tears gently as he crouched down in front of her. "Wendy?" He questioned softly.  
"Natsu-kun!" The Sky Maiden cried as she threw herself down into his waiting arms.  
"Shhh . . ." He murmured, rubbing circles on her shaking back. "It's alright Wendy. That ignoramus wouldn't know beauty if it hit him in the face." Natsu soothed, giving the pasty Weasly boy his intensely evil glare.  
"Hey-!" Said simpleton huffed only to be whopped on the head by Hermione's large tome.  
"Shush you idiot!" She hissed, Ron nodding quickly.  
A few minutes later, the tiny slayer unburied her head from Natsu's tearstained one sleeved jacket. "Thanks Natsu-nii." She tumultuously smiled.  
He ruffled her hair winking "Anytime. After all, we're family right?"  
"Hai!"  
"Don't you forget it."  
Hearing a male throat clearing politely, everyone including even the Slytherins turned to see the twinkling eyed professor waiting for them to finish.  
Noticing how much of a scene that she has caused. Wendy eeped before turning crimson and darting behind the pink haired slayer.  
"If you are all quite finished, I do believe that the house elves have created a scrumptious feast. So without further ado tuck in!" Dumbledore proclaimed as food magically appeared in front of the suddenly salivating student body.  
Chapter Six-  
Hermione stared in disgusted fascination as Natsu and Ron had their . . . Eating contest. So far the pink haired Dragneel was winning by a long shot. 'Where does he find the room to hold all that food?' She queried to herself; half fearful of what the answer would turn out to be. Then it occurred to her. Why not ask someone who was familiar with him.  
"Umm Wendy was it?" The prefect asked unsure.  
Jolting slightly in surprise of hearing no honorific it took the sky maiden a minute to answer. "Erm yes it is. Why do you ask?"  
Hermione gestured towards the dueling boys "Is Dagneel always like this?"  
Wendy's expression lightened as she giggled "Hai! Natsu-kun hasn't even started yet!" She chirped.  
The bookworm's gaze turned horrified "You mean to say that Dragneel is taking it easy on him?!" She shrieked.  
Instead to answering her, the Slayer turned regretfully away from her meal and looked pityingly at the ginger haired boy. "You know, I almost feel bad for him. Natsu-kun isn't even a quarter full. Whereas your young friend over there is nearing his limit."  
"How do you figure?" Hermione asked inquisitively.  
"For Natsu-kun or Weasly-san?"  
"Well I would love to hear your commentaries on the both of them, but since we are low on time, how about we narrow down on Ron." As she said that, the bushy haired girl's mind was running a mile a minute. 'Those honorifics; the school must be from an Asian branch.' She chewed her lip. 'I'll have to do some heavy research.'  
"Ano, Granger-san?"  
Hermione blushed as she realized that she had been totally ignoring the blue haired child. "I'm so sorry I got lost in thought! Please continue."  
"No no it's no problem." Wendy casually waved her wrist. "Really!" She added at the brunette's dubious expression.  
"Oh okay. So . . . Do you think that could expound upon your earlier words?" Hermione inquired, Neville as well as Seamus, Harry, Dean and Ginny all leaning in to listen.  
Abruptly turning serious, Wendy activated her analytical healers calm as she studied the duo intensely, tuning everything else out. "Breathing is becoming shallow, nervous perspiration at his opponents voracious appetite, bloating in the stomach, slower eating rates, and lastly, shaking limbs caused by forcing himself to past what his small body can handle." Wendy finished in a low monotone.  
Dean let out a whistle "Blimey you're a smart one."  
"Ye-yeah." Neville stuttered, still stuck at thought of the young bluenette calling Ronald Weasly young and small when she herself appeared to be only thirteen and of diminutive stature.  
"How did you figure that out?" Ginny asked looking intrigued as she leaned around her current boyfriend Dean Thomas.  
"Oh it's simple!" Wendy exclaimed cheerfully. "It's partly because of my magic, but I've also had extensive training in healing."  
"What do you mean it's because of your magic? Do you mean that you specialize in healing spells like Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione cut it with an inquisitive frown.  
"Erm, well. . ." The Tiny Bluenette squirmed. "Not quite. . ."  
"What do you mean? Does Fairy Tail use a different type of spells?" Harry asked, curiosity stirring as he remembered all his intensely painful experiences relating to anything medical; and half wondering if the attendees from Fairy Tail had any less abominable ways of healing than the English.  
"I wouldn't know until I studied how your physician heals." Wendy stated while internally sweating bullets. 'I really hope that satisfies them. Because I can't say much more without revealing our secret.' She sweat dropped, imagining Erza's lecture were she to spill the beans so to speak.  
"Oh." Harry said disappointed.  
"Sumimasen Potter-san." She apologized.  
"Sumi- what?" Seamus scratched his head.  
"Forgive me." Wendy sheepishly bowed. "I sometimes forget where I am and stop focusing on speaking this dialect."  
"So you do speak another language!" Hermione crowed. "How are you doing it?"  
"Erm . . . It's because of this." She held up her sky blue ring with silver dragon tracery wrapped around it.  
"Really?!" The brunette seized the poor girls index finger. "How fascinating! How does it work?!"  
"The ring activates once you start focusing on understanding what is being said." The Slayer shyly explained, nervously looking at the girl who reminded her of a odd blend of Lucy and Levy combined.  
"Hmm, would it still work with another wearer?"  
Wendy shook her head. "No. Once the band has calibrated to the bearers magical power it is nigh impossible for another wizard to wear without serious repercussions." She sighed 'And here's to hope no one notices my play on words.'  
Seeing as no else had any questions for the moment, Wendy went back to eating as she began to fill her still hungry stomach.  
Opening her mouth to talk to the foreign girl once again, Hermione turned around only to screech in horror as she beheld the Sky Maiden's suddenly compiled dishes that rivaled Ron's when he was starving. "Not you too Marvel!"  
________________________________________  
"I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy. Slytherin's head boy. And you are?" The Prefect pompously offered the key holder his hand as he evaluated her, staring longer than what was polite at her assets.  
Lucy eyed the proffered palm in thinly veiled disgust. The mannerisms of that cocky, pale blonde wizard reminding her a bit to much of the lecherously leering men of the high class that would try to cop a feel "accidentally" when they visited the Heartfillia Manner to speak to her father as well as the haughty attitude that accompanied the aristocratic debutantes. "Lucy Heartfillia, Mage of Fairy Tail." She replied automatically falling back into her emotionless façade that had been ingrained into since before she could talk, bowing her head slightly.  
Draco nodded back as he went back to eating, his interest peaked. 'So it would seem that this girl is a noble from how she acts. Perhaps I shall write to father about her.'  
Cobra barely restrained the growl that wanted to break free at the inky blankness that became of Bright Eye's soul when she spoke. It felt so wrong to hear such a usually luminous and cheerful soul turn so . . . Dark and somber.  
"Creepy isn't it." Gray softly muttered from beside him.  
"You've seen this happen before." Erik flatly stated.  
The Devil Slayer shivered, his eyes saddening. "Yes." He clenched his fist. "We were all on a mission that was at a ball; I was Lucy's partner for the dance. Throughout the whole ordeal-" His voiced cracked. "She was merely just a shell of herself."  
Meredy let out a strangled sob as she clamped her hands to her mouth to stem anymore outbursts. "What caused this?!"  
"Her upbringing." Gray answered quietly.  
"What?"  
"Come now, surely you must have noticed how Heartfillia never adds her last name." Cobra scoffed.  
Meredy's faced turned cool. "Well unlike some people I could name I do not pry where I am not wanted."  
"Watch it Onna." Erik snapped as a wine colored corona enveloped him; single eye flaring red.  
________________________________________  
"Oh dear it seems that Natsu is up to his usual self." Mira chimed from her spot next to Flare and Erza.  
"Indeed. Perhaps I should go stop him."  
"No no. I think Wendy has that covered." She waved her hand casually at the half rising Knight; magically conjuring a scrumptious piece of strawberry cheesecake to pacify her before she went psycho and destroyed the majority of the school.  
"Umhmm." Titania mumbled blissfully; her earlier objective completely forgotten.  
"Blondie . . ." Flare murmured, worriedly glancing towards Lucy's table; concern making its way to her vibrant blood red orbs.  
________________________________________  
"Umm, Gajeel?" Levy asked sweatdropping at all the dumbstruck faces gaping at the glutinous gorging food intake of the dark haired slayer.  
"Yeah?" He asked pausing to look down at her; attention focused solely on the blue haired Script Mage. "What is it Shrimp?" Narrowly slitted garnet eyes bored into hers.  
She began to blush as she realized how much attention they were garnering. "I think that you may want to slow down your eating."  
"Why?"  
"Because people are staring!" Levy hissed, looking uncomfortable.  
"Really." He drawled. "Well then, they can just stop staring; isn't that right?" Gajeel glared, threateningly cracking his iron shod knuckles menacingly.  
"Ri-right." The table stuttered, gulping at the nefarious expression upon the former council member's face.  
"Good. Keep it that way." He all but purred silkily; very much contrary to his usually gruff voice.  
________________________________________  
"Ah, now that was a good meal!" Natsu stated while patting his bloated stomach contentedly. "Now! Onto desert!"He rubbed his hands together, reaching for the delectable pastries in front of him.  
"You-you're eating more?" Hermione whimpered pathetically along with Ron who was currently keeled over the table looking distinctively green at the thought of eating even more food.  
"Blimey! Where's it all go?!" Seamus exclaimed wide eyed.  
"Iff miiif stfffack."  
"Huh?"  
"Umm . . . Even though I grew up around ill mannered boys, and I still couldn't understand a word he just said." Ginny deadpanned.  
"Ahem. Allow me to translate." Wendy held up her right index finger while attempting to comically deepen her voice to mimic the salmon haired dragon slayer who was currently stuffing his face once again. "He said, I quote, 'in my stomach.'"  
" . . . . . . . . . . . "  
"Eheh . . Eheh . . ." Wendy fidgeted, blushing madly at all the flabbergasted expressions as she awkwardly rubbed the back of her pigtailed head in an attempt to diffuse the shocked, silent staring.  
*Boong! Booong! Boonm . . ! Boonm! Bong . . Bong . . .*  
'Saved by the bell' She sighed relieved. 'But did it have to be so loud?' Wendy winced. Trying to discreetly rub the shrill ringing out of her sensitive ears along with the other dragon slayers who all had various expressions of pain showing on their faces.  
________________________________________  
Feeling a frantic bumping against his elbow, Erik looked dazedly down at the blonde who's eyes where wide with worry. His eyes brows furrowed. 'What has gotten Bright Eyes into such a snit?' He wondered as the world around him slowly came back in to focus.  
"Cobra!" Lucy frantically whispered "Your ears!"  
'My ears? What is wrong with my ears?' He thought sluggishly, slow mind puzzled.  
Noting his sense of abject confusion, the Key Holder reached carefully upward to his pointed ears before lowering the appendage back down to the Poison Master's eye level.  
Cobra tensed automatically when felt her touch him only to relax as he realized that Heartfillia was not going to hurt him. 'But why is she-' His violet orb widened as he beheld Lucy's bloodied palm when it came to hover in front of him. 'Darn it!' He swore. 'While I knew that the clock was loud, I just didn't know that it was that loud!'  
"See?" The blonde muttered quietly. "I'd say that you have a very bad reaction to extremely loud noises."  
He gave her a look. "Really. You don't say?" Erik sarcastically retorted.  
"Jerk!" She grumbled as she irksomely crossed her arms in irritation. "Next time I'll just-"  
"Aww . . . Didn't know you cared so much Bright Eyes."  
"Shut up." She savagely jabbed her fork into her blueberry pie; uniquely colored juice spurting out in droves.  
Cobra just smirked in response while Gray and Meredy as well as the rest of the house flinched at the graphic abuse of the dessert that was eerily similar in shade to blood. Especially at the hands of an incensed celestial mage.  
"Okay, so maybe I should cross CoLu off my list . ." The pink haired Woman muttered, scribbling out a set of names in previously absent book.  
"Hey-hey Draco?" Goyle stuttered.  
"Yeah? What is it?" The youngest Malfoy grumbled.  
"Do you think that they're all crazy?"  
Draco gave him a quelling look. "Don't be stupid. As if girls that loaded would be loopy."  
________________________________________  
Gajeel growled venomously as the food that he had been eating disappeared right from his mouth. 'Those blasted Wizards.' The slayer scowled darkly. 'Taking away my food.'  
"Gajeel!" Levy whispered heatedly. "Stop growling! Normal people don't growl!"  
"Tch." The iron eater spat as he looked away from the irritated bluenette and towards the headmaster who had just stood up.  
"It is with much regret that I must end this scrumptious feast. But, since I imagine most of you have classes, you will bemoan the fact that you have stayed up later than you already have tomorrow morning. Even if you personally don't wish to." Dumbledore stated with a happy gleam in his bright blue eyes. "That being said, off you tot!" Albus dismissed them; waving his uninjured hand in an shooing motion.  
________________________________________  
"I must say, these accommodations are quite homey. I approve." Erza practically sparkled as she took in the bright, cheerful quarters that had spacious windows arching throughout the entirety of the spacious dorm.  
"I agree." Mirajane beamed as she too took in the scenery. "I think it's wonderful how they got us all in the same room. What do you think Corona-san?"  
"I'm . . not sure." Flare mumbled. "I've never done this sort of thing before." She blushed at their incredulous expressions.  
"You . . . mean . . to say that you've never experienced the blissful feelings of having a sleepover with fellow women?!" The Knight clasped the other fellow red head's hands in horror. "We must remedy this!" She whirled around to face the white haired she devil. "Mira! Gather up our classmates. We're having a party!"  
"Aye Aye Sir!" The Takeover Mage readily agreed as she rushed out of their room; a firm visage on her normally sweet and innocent air.  
________________________________________  
'It's so gloomy in here!' Lucy, Gray and Meredy wailed simultaneously from within their minds; Cobra almost snickering at the chorus of laments coming from his partners' souls.  
||"Hey, keep this in mind, it could be a prison cell."|| Erik helpfully pointed out which earned him several confused glances from the serpents within normal hearing distance since all they heard were foreign words.  
The Maguilty Mage gave him a scathing look. ||"I personally think the prison cell would be more inviting."||  
||"Yeah. I have to agree with her on this one. At least they have light filtering through."|| Gray stated, body tensed in the wake of being in the hostile environment of the Slytherins. ||"After all, didn't you get a regular exposure to them?"|| He questioned. The conversation somehow turning into a word battle.  
||"I wouldn't know. I had such good behavior that they kept me separate from all the riffraff. So you tell me Fullbuster."|| Cobra gave him a lazy grin. |"As the saying goes, 'It takes one to know one.'"||  
Lucy rubbed the bridge of her nose in irritation, tick marks beginning to form as the bickering continued. 'Grr . . this is worst than dealing with my full teams' antics. Honestly! And they call themselves adults!'  
The Ex-Convict turned to the blonde leaning against the darkened stone. ||"Have something to say Bright Eyes?"||  
||"Yes I have something to say."|| The Key Holder all but growled, a dark aura surrounding her body. ||"Stop. Acting. Like. Blasted. Children."|| She glowered.  
||"Now now, no need to pull any punches. Tell the class how you really feel."||  
||"Cobra! You Moron!"|| Gray hissed, panicking. ||"Stop! Don't egg her on! You'll only make it worse."||  
||"So this is what Lucy-chan is like when she gets angry?"|| The pinkette shuddered. ||"Then maybe they are a match made in Heaven . . . or Hell."|| She mumbled, once again bringing out her book.  
||"Well, since Erza isn't here, I guess it is my duty to keep the peace as per First's request."|| Lucy sighed, getting up from her perch against the stone wall; remembering the child like woman's orders as if they were yesterday.  
________________________________________  
"Scarlett, McGarden, Marvell, Dreyar, Strauss, and Heartfillia; would you be so kind as to stay a little longer?" Mavis asked as the rest of the group slowly trickled out of the office.  
"Of course." The Redheaded Knight replied in everyone's place. "What do you wish to speak with us about?"  
"Thank you for asking." She beamed, slowly moving her feet back and forth. "As I am sure that you are well aware, Fairy Tail has a certain knack for getting into trouble.  
"Because of that destructive talent, I have come to the decision to appoint certain people to aid in keeping the rowdy ones in line."  
"Heh." Laxus snorted. "I would have done that regardless. I can't stand it when Flamebrain or other nincompoops attempt to tarnish our name with their childish antics."  
"Same here." Lucy and Erza chorused.  
"Ano . ." Wendy pushed her two index fingers together. "Why did you ask me? It's not like I can intimidate people like Erza and Lucy."  
"Nonsense!" The Founder waved away her doubt cheerfully. "You can be scary if you put your mind to it.  
"Now, any other questions?"  
"Yeah . . While we're on the subject, why'd you have me in this meeting? I mean, I have even less of a chance of success than Wen-chan here." Levy quickly apologized to the tiny slayer. "Sorry Wen-chan."  
"Oh? Isn't it obvious?" Mira giggled. "You're here to keep your boy toy Gajeel in line of course!"  
"Na-Nani?" The Script Mage spluttered, turning beat red.  
________________________________________  
||"Really? Vermillion had you become the responsible one?"|| Cobra scornfully jabbed.  
||"Have a problem with that?"|| She raised a inquisitive brow; a sinister aura wrapping around her.  
||"No. Not at all."||  
||"Good."|| The blonde purred, punishment already formulating in her mind. ||"Oh, and Cobra? Keep this in next time you decide to pick a fight. It will be worst."||  
||"What are you blathering on-"|| The Maroon haired Man paused, skin tone turning an unflattering shade of green as he accidentally read the loudly broadcasted thoughts. ||"Darn it Heartfillia! That's just sick!"|| Erik gagged while futility attempting to wipe that particular memory from his brain. ||"Where in the blazes did you see that?!"||  
||"Trust me when I say this, you don't want to know."||  
||"Yes I do."|| He growled. ||"If only to destroy whatever caused you see such a horrible thing."||  
Lucy burst out peals of laughter, gleeful grin racing across her face at her success. ||"Okay, okay fine. I'll tell you. The first was under Fairy Tail's pool while the other unfortunate incident was at the Grand Magic Games."||  
||"Now why doesn't that surprise me."|| He muttered, running a hand through his hair as he listened to Bright Eyes try to banish the disturbing images of Makarov's little wrinkly, butt naked self floating in the pool and the second one of Lamia Scale's pudgy aged master doing the Harlem Shake in a bikini.  
________________________________________  
"ACHOO!"  
"Are you alright Third? Ermm I mean Sixth."  
"Sorry." The elder Dreyar sniffed. "I must be coming down with something."  
________________________________________  
"Achoo!"  
"Alright you simpletons! Who wants to be spun for talking about me behind my lovely back?!" Ooba Baasama howled, already spinning some poor unfortunate souls.  
"We weren't talking about you, you old sycophantic hag!" Yuka shouted while repelling the spell sent his way.  
________________________________________  
"Gi he he." Gajeel chuckled, several Ravenclaw's flinching at his oddly evil sounding laugh. "These aren't so bad. Plenty of good iron in here." The slayer eyed the ornately wrought hand rails atop the metal spiral staircases that lead up to the various dorms.  
"They're not for eating!" Levy hissed from the corner of her mouth.  
"Humph." He crossed his severely scarred arms with a huff. "Really Shrimp? I know better than that."  
"Well pardon me for thinking that the guy hungrily licking his lips at the sight of metal wouldn't try to eat it!"  
"Are you jealous?"  
"No you overgrown bucket of bolts I am not!" She proudly stuck her small nose in the air; ignoring her obviously heated cheeks.  
________________________________________  
"Yeah! My kind of place." Natsu excitedly bounced over to gigantic hearth as got ready to dig into the delectable looking flames that were calling out to him only to be stopped by a certain exasperated blue haired slayer.  
||"Natsu-kun! You can't eat the fire in front of them!"|| She berated. ||"If you do that, they are bound to find out that we aren't from this land."||  
||"Oh. Right. Thanks a bunch Wendy."|| The salmon haired Mage grinned as he found something new to investigate.  
"I wonder what that was all about." Harry said, closely watching both of the Fairy Tail members.  
"I don't know but I do know one thing, I don't like that pink haired freak."  
"Ugh, honestly Ronald." Hermione sighed. "The only reason you dislike him is because he hugged Ginny."  
"Well that may be part of it." He indigently sniffed. "But the main reason is that freaky prophecy that blasted hat spouted."  
"Umm . . Guys? What prophecy?" Harry interrupted.  
"That's right you weren't there for it were you." The brunette pondered as the boy who lived just shook his minutely.  
"What did it say?"  
"Erumm . . Give me second." She called distantly, scouring her over sized handbag. No . . No . . . Not that one  
either . . Blast it where did I put it?! . . . Ah ha! Found it!" Hermione crowed victoriously as she shoved an heavily inked parchment in the dark haired boy's face. "Here, read this."  
Chapter Seven-  
Harry rolled over again for the hundredth time that night; mind churning to much for sleep to take him in its inky grasp since reading the copied down prophecy that Hermione had loaned him; words running through his brain.  
'A thousand years or more ago,  
When I was newly sown,  
There lived four wizards far renown,  
Among them one left unknown,  
Traverser of the dimensions,  
She was so named,  
Lost, scared, and alone,  
Brave Gryffindor rescued,  
Gentle Hufflepuff healed,  
Wise Ravenclaw directed,  
Mighty Slytherin guided,  
Harry snorted as he read those lines, a snarky comment already coming to mind about Slytherin. 'To the door I bet.'  
Light sputtering,  
Darkness coming,  
Flame's brother,  
Death incarnate knocks,  
Fairies return,  
New dawn approaching,  
Light, fire, steel and wood,  
Banish the bad,  
Sky, ice, devil and storm,  
Cleanse the vile,  
Iron, ink, sun and emotions,  
Fight for what's right,  
Poison hearing the unspoken and forgotten.  
Beware,  
Evil lurks in these halls.'  
'I wonder what the hat meant.' The Scarred Youth mused silently as he finally stopped tossing and turning just to stare up at the dark ceiling. 'Traverser of dimensions . . . Who is the Flame? And who is his brother? Why is he called Death? What is this looming evil?  
'Plus, what I'm wondering is what the hat meant when it listed all those random object.' He mused, fist clenching as he punched his pillow angrily. 'Ugh. Why can't the answer be clear for once in my life?! I mean, seriously how does the sun or wood fight? Honestly!'  
The Boy Who Lived sighed. 'Well, getting irritated isn't going to help me. Best get some sleep while I can.' As he turned to rest once more, Harry paused as his brow crinkled in thought 'Did I just hear a whimper?'  
Hearing the pained filled whimper once again, his turned his gaze towards the one who had caught the puzzled boy's attention as he turned to the pink haired teen who writhed in his turbulent dreams.  
"Igneel . . . Don't . . . Go . . Please . . . Don't leave . . . Me." Natsu moaned. His voice finally becoming audible to the green eyed boy's ears. "Why are . . . crying . . . Lucy. Don't cry . . . Smile . . ." He breathed forlornly as luminescent drops slid down his sleeping face that were illuminated by the beam of moonlight falling over the salmon haired mage's features.  
"Dragneel?" Harry whispered, watching him with rapt attention as Natsu talked aloud in his turbulent rest. 'Hey, isn't that the name of the blonde one who went to Slytherin?' His brows furrowed. 'But why is he crying? Surely it can't be bad-' the sable haired Wizard's emerald eyes became shadowed. 'On second thought, after my experiences, it could be that bad.' Harry shivered as he remembered back to tournament. Back to when he was forced to watch Cedric be killed and Voldemort return to life. Sirius be hit with Avada Kedavra; and his vague memories of his parent's gruesome death that fated evening. 'Yes it can definitely be that bad.'  
"So, just what is haunting your dreams? Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail?"  
________________________________________  
"Just do it you brat!"  
"No! I won't sacrifice one friend for another!" Lucy cried, clothes in tatters; body bruised and beaten from the three on one battle. "Please Aquarius! There must be another way to beat them!"  
"That's the point!" The Water Bearer shouted while clutching her owner tightly against her chest as she struggled with all her considerable might to hold off the maniacal Bomb Demon, Jackal as well as the other two Tartaros demons, Lamy and Torafuzar's combined attacks. "There isn't another way! Your human friends are as good as dead and the rest of the Zodiacs are not powerful enough.  
"Besides I hate your pathetic self and it will be a relief to not be summoned anymore. So stop wallowing in your self righteous indignation and just do it!"  
Tears beginning to form in her anguished eyes, the Key Holder held out the snarky Mermaid's gleaming gold key, opposite hand coming atop her shaking arm to steady the wobbling appendage; Aquarius standing resolutely behind the trembling blonde, a suspicious shimmer in the pupil less aqua orbs.  
"I call upon thee,  
Ruler of the mighty stars,  
Magistrate of the cosmos,  
Now pass through the gate!  
Celestial Spirit King!" Lucy called out, earth trembling as the sky became eclipsed with a starry canvas, bright lights surrounding her as she chanted the words that had instinctively appeared once the spell started.  
The severely drained Mage watched as though in slow motion as the eleventh key in the Golden Zodiac degraded until there was nothing but the handle and a broken shaft left.  
The Spirit gazed sadly at her former owner with tears glimmering in her eyes as she faded from that world, words barely making it past her lips before totally vanishing.  
"Sayōnara . . . Lucy. . ."  
"Aquarius!" Lucy gasped as she jolted from her restless slumber, tears falling freely as she slumped back down on her bed, taking a fetal position with her legs tucked against her chest while she trembled, trying her best to muffle the sobs that were ripping out of her mouth. Her hands grasping the shattered key attached to her neck.  
Unbeknownst to Lucy, there was a glowing pink bracelet on her wrist which was sending back the blonde's roiling emotions to a certain pink haired Crime Sorcière member. "Heartfillia . . ." Meredy murmured a gleaming drop of silver sliding down her pale, drawn cheeks. "You are in such agony . . . Yet you tell no one . . ."  
________________________________________  
"What, in Merlin's good name is going on here?!" Pomona Sprout exclaimed. Appearing quite frazzled in her night robe and cap as she beheld the pandemonium that had become of her usually demur and rule abiding house. "What are you children doing out of bed at four in the morning?"  
"We're having a sleepover!" Several of the female Hufflepuffs yelled out.  
"What- a sleepover at this hour?" She asked in shock. "Surely you are aware about classes tomorrow! How could you be so irresponsible! Whose idea was this?!"  
"It was mine." Erza boldly proclaimed as she moved towards the front of the room dressed in her Heart Kreuz pajamas. "You may slap me for my indiscretion." The Knight bowed her head. "But please, do not punish the rest of us. For it was mine, and my mistake alone that has caused you such anxiety; so please, punish me for my trespass upon your rules."  
"Slap?"  
"Did Scarlett just ask Professor to hit her?"  
"I know! I just heard that too."  
"Wow. Her Headmaster must be super strict!"  
"I wonder if their school has torture devices like the ones in movies."  
"No. I bet that Scarlett is a secret masochist that loves to be punished and often begs her headmaster to punish her!"  
"Slap-slap you?!" The Kindly Teacher asked in shock as she held up her hands in a calming gesture to quell all the rowdy rumors flowing throughout the common room. Obviously flustered, the plump gardening teacher protested as she looked around, her wrinkles becoming quite visible. "I could never hurt one my students!"  
"So you won't hit me?"  
"No! Of course not!" The herbologist held out her hands soothingly "Don't worry about it. I am sure that you didn't know any better. As such I will let it go just this once." Then she turned her best stern eyes on the partygoers. "But, if I ever find out about another late night party, week long detention for the lot of you!" Having said that, the Witch strode out, normally cheerful demeanor grim. 'And I'll be having a chat with Scarlett's headmaster about this.'  
________________________________________  
"Ohayō Gozaimasu McGarden-san."  
Levy started as she heard a dreamy voice speak up behind her.  
"Oh. I am terribly sorry. I must have gotten the pronunciation wrong."  
Turning to face the direction of the feminine voice, Levy took in the long, pale blonde hair that was accompanied by a stunning pair of blue eyes. " Īe Īe* your pronunciation was flawless -?" The bluenette paused.  
"Lovegood. Luna Lovegood." Said Ravenclaw supplied helpfully to the waiting Mage. "So I was right."  
"Pardon?" Levy cocked her head to the side inquisitively. "What are you correct about?"  
"Oh it is nothing much. Just a hunch that proved correct."  
"Really? What was the hunch?"  
"Regarding your school's whereabouts and such." Luna replied as she gazed out at the vibrantly hued sunrise through the high gothic styled windows.  
"Re-really? Con-congratulations." Solid Script User awkwardly laughed to cut the sudden tension.  
'Crap! How'd she figure it out?! And so quickly too? I don't think Gajeel's been eating the cutlery again . . . So how?!'  
'First Master gave us clear instructions Not to tell the Wizards our origins.'  
"Thank you." Luna murmured as she idly twirled her wand; still watching the mountainous country begin to shine with early morning colors. "So tell me, what is like to attend a school in Japan?"  
Levy felt herself fall in surprise. "Say what?!" She wheezed as she picked her shocked body off the floor.  
*Ding dong . . . ding dong!*  
"Oh dear we're going to be late for breakfast." The Odd wizard mumbled as she quickly breezed her way out of the dorms; leaving the poor, shocked blue haired Mage slumping tiredly against the wall.  
'Phew. Well that's a relief. For a second there I thought that she had somehow figured out our secret. Though that does leave me with a question. Just what is Japan?'  
________________________________________  
Laxus Dreyar observed the rowdy mess hall as the students and teachers alike devoured the feast that they called a breakfast; contemplating his plans for the year. 'Uggh. Why did First have to put me in charge? Surely she knows that I am inept for the job.' The Lightning Dragon Slayer groused. 'Though I guess that's why she gave me a partner . . . I can just foist all the planning off to the brains of the operation. After all . . . she was named the strategist of the team.' He smirked contentedly as he moved to get up; towering over the diminutive Charm's professor next to him who squeaked at the sudden, towering shadow over top him. 'Well, best get this over with.' Laxus sighed while he moved towards the blonde situated at the silver and green table; sound pod curled around his neck.  
"Yo, Blondie."  
||"You're blonde too, oh wonderful Headmaster Dreyar."|| Lucy curtly responded, her brow ticking at the scarred man as her patience dwindled lower with every passing second.  
The yellow haired man smirked again as he leaned down in front of the irritated mage; automatically switching back to Fioreian. ||That all you can come back with?|| His lip curled. ||Pathetic.||  
The Key Holder all but growled. ||"If all you are going to do is insult me, then leave. I don't have the patience to deal with your childish schemes today."|| She turned away, ignoring the invasion of her personal space as she went back to her book and juice.  
"I would do as she says lightning monster. Bright Eyes isn't feeling to charitable to any one this morning." Erik commented while snickering internally at his pun.  
||"Oh? Mind explaining why?||  
Lucy slammed her book shut with a loud bang that echoed throughout the suddenly quiet great hall. ||"You shut it."|| She pointed at Cobra who merely gave her a lazy grin. ||"And you,"|| The Stellar Mage swiveled towards the source of her annoyance. ||"If you must know, I didn't sleep well."||  
Laxus gave a grunt as her face and eyes were illuminated in their pale, drawn and baggy glory. ||"You don't say"|| He gave her a mock appraising look. ||"What were you doing last night? Partying? Or did you finally find a boyfriend?"||  
Lucy flinched minutely at the ill timed boyfriend comment as it scraped upon her barely healed heartstrings that were still rubbed raw.  
Seeing the flinch, Meredy abruptly stood up, slamming her hands against the table loudly as she spoke in a low monotone; her eyes darker than they had been in a long time. ||"Stop it. Leave Lucy-san alone and get to the point of your visit."|| She uttered darkly, a sinister fuchsia aura swirling around her cloaked body as her mind vividly remembered Heartfilia's muffled, pain filled sobs filling their two person dorm room during the night.  
Laxus huffed as he clambered up from his kneeled position, crossing his arms when he reached his full height to look over at the trembling Maguilty Mage whose long pink hair was covering her bowed face. ||"Tch. Who spat in your cereal, pink demon."||  
||"Be quiet both of you!"|| Erik raised his voice as he cut off his incensed, Crime Sorcière comrade who was about to retort angrily. ||"Shipper go sit your butt down by the Ice Cube. Maybe he will cool you down enough to talk in a calm manner befitting your status as an adult and a member of our guild. Lightning Rod, find a seat somewhere away from miss angry pants and tell us what you really came over here for."||  
Shooting his fellow second generation dragon slayer an amused smirk, the scarred blonde choose a seat next to the Holder Mage that he had been teasing. ||"Shouldn't you already know that Erik."|| He returned in a snarky and sarcastic manner. Drawing out the maroon haired man's true name in a successful attempt to rile him.  
Cobra bared his elongated canines at the youngest Dreyar with a visceral snarl while his single orb became slitted as he turned it towards the source of his ire ||"Do not call me that Ivan's son. You are neither my Nakama nor my mate so Do Not address me by that name."|| The Poison Master snapped venomously; staring down at the suddenly crackling S-Class Mage.  
||"Don't you ever mention that blasted man's name."|| Laxus forced out through clenched teeth that longed to show themselves at the person who had mentioned his dastardly father and his relation to him.  
||"Only if you abstain from calling me by that name."|| Erik swiftly retorted sharply.  
||"Fine."|| The Lightning Slayer scowled heavily as he began to walk towards the great hall's gigantic arched doors. ||"After class meet me in my office."|| He called out passingly over his shoulder as he stalked out, his fur lined cloak flaring dramatically in front of everyone's' eyes. A particular person's drilling holes into the retreating slayer's back, their lips pursed in deep frown as they kept an eye on the retreating man's back.  
________________________________________  
*Growl~~*  
"Honestly tom cat! Control yourself!"  
"I'm sorry Carla," Happy hung his head and tail, a cloud of depression hanging over him as he flew over the glistening lake. "I can't help it. I'm dying from starvation over here."  
The White Cat tutted as she got into her lecturing mode; still simmering over having had the injustice of her fur being fluffed up in such a disgraceful manner*. "Ugh I can assure you tom cat that you are Not dying."  
"How do you know?" Happy asked sullenly, his belly grumbling again.  
"Oh, honesty blue cat! The reason I know is because I have gone the same amount of time without food as you!" She bit out, ears pressed flat against her head as tick marks began to form around her.  
*Growl~*  
"Not you too Pantherlily!"  
"My apologies." The aforementioned black Exceed quickly apologized as he looked away, surveying the glistening swells of the water that were lapping against the visible island. "It appears that I too am quite famished from this arduous flying that we have been doing."  
Tutting again, but this time in a less aggravated manner, the she cat surged onward ahead of the two ravenous male felines, not even deigning to comment as a frown marred her regal visage; mind drifting farther and farther away as she flew mindlessly. 'This sense of foreboding . . . What is causing it? Is it this place?' She shook her head. 'No . . . Not this place exactly, but something around it.' Her claws shot out and retracted in frustration. 'Why can't my prophecies be clear for once?! Is it because I am not powerful enough?'  
'Why can't I be the one to protect Wendy? My wish . . . My only wish since I was hatched has been to look after her and shield her from this twisted world that we call home. So why? Why can't my gift be strong enough to safeguard the one thing precious to me?!' Carla screwed her eyes shut in an attempt to stem the frustrated tears that were stinging her fawn colored eyes. 'Why won't you ever show me anything worthwhile?! You good for nothing power?!'' She shouted into the very depths of her soul.  
As she demanded this, a resounding pulse answered her as she was pulled into her swirling, dark mindscape.  
________________________________________  
"Cobra!" A blonde woman shouted desperately as she skidded to a halt in front of the downed slayer. "Cobra please open your eye! Say something sarcastic! Please . . ." She pleaded. Shaking his blood soaked body with tears pouring down her ashen cheeks as she surveyed not only the man in her arms but the unconscious Knight laying prostrate against the ravaged ground along with her blue and pink haired comrades who were also laying atop the earth. All beaten and battered.  
"No . . ." The woman rocked the man, her chest heaving with sobs. "Please you have to get up! Please!"  
"Weaklings . . ." A deep sibilant voice hissed from above her as it curled its gleaming claws into the rock filled terrain. "Weaklings all of you. Pathetic little roaches."  
"Shut up."  
"What did you say to me?" The creature's deep voice went deeper as its slitted, reptilian eyes narrowed dangerously as it focused solely on the Mage; ignoring the various bodies strewn about the torn up landscape.  
"I said," She gently laid the lax body against red ground as she shakily clambered to her feet to stalwartly face the behemoth that had decimated her friends new and old. "Shut up."  
"Well, well, it appears that the shaking kitten has finally grown a backbone." The beast let out an earthshaking laugh as it crouched down to look at her from a closer angle. "Perhaps I shall keep you alive to play with after I find what I came here for."  
"That is not going to happen." She responded as a gold corona began to encompass her body in its brilliant hues; normally whiskey colored eyes being lit with an inner light, making them become luminescent in the dim darkness of a moonless night. "Because I now know what must done."  
"Oh? And what is that?" It asked, clearly amused by her bravado.  
"This!" Lucy shouted. Extending her arm in front of her as she called her twelve golden gate keys to surround her body in a glowing circle.  
________________________________________  
Carla's wide unseeing eyes jerked open as she convulsed against something hard.  
"Happy hold her down!" Pantherlily commanded as he quickly ground some herbs. "Hopefully ingesting some of this ground mistletoe and kava will help quell the seizures temporary."  
"Hurry up! I don't think that I can hold her for long!"  
"NO! Wendy!" The prophetess screamed in agony as she was pulled under once more.  
________________________________________  
"Ahh!"  
"I must say, you off landers don't know when to quit." The hooded man sneered as he dodged multiple attacks at once.  
"We are Fairy Tail, and we never quit!" Erza ground out as she swiped again with her ragged looking sword; requiping into her flight armor in a blink of an eye to escape Natsu's flaming attack.  
"And if we found out that you have hurt her-" Gajeel whispered darkly from behind the man as he rose up through the shadows. "There will be Hell to pay! Iron Dragon's Roar!"  
________________________________________  
"Quick Happy! She's coming out of it! Fly at max speed and get her to Wendy-san as quickly as possible! I will catch up shortly."  
"Aye sir!" Happy sprouted his wings as he picked up the dazed white cat with his paws before taking off at supersonic speeds towards the school.  
Chapter Nine-  
"Cobra?" Lucy questioned hesitantly after a few minutes of strained silence.  
Flinching minutely when the blonde celestial Mage spoke; breaking him out of his focused state, Erik stepped away, releasing his comrade in the process.  
"Cobra … what's wrong?" She asked again while hugging herself as a cold, nervous trickle of anxiety made its way through her body at the sight of Cobra's apparent wariness.  
"I could've sworn I heard something…" He muttered to himself as he repeatedly sniffed the air with his pointed ears twitching as they searched for any sign of the mysterious voice.  
"Heard what?"  
When the Dragon Slayer ignored the key holder for a third time; she lightly growled in frustration-marching up to the maroon haired man and casually flicking one of his pierced ears closest to her reach; not having an inkling of the consequences that her actions would reap.  
Within a second of being hit, Erik felt his lips curl upward as a visceral snarl made its way out of his mouth while his hands rose up to harshly enveloped the fragile wrist in a crushing grip.  
Lucy let out a gasp of pain when her wrist bones ground together painfully.  
"Cobra … Let me go!" She attempted to twist out of his grip-only for him to tighten it. "Itai!" Lucy gasped as her eyes watered at the pain. 'I guess this leaves me no choice. Gymnastics, don't fail me now!'  
Tensing her body in preparation of what she was attempting to do, Lucy placed her free hand against Cobra's shoulder and levered herself so that she flipped backwards, forcing Erik's hand to follow her course behind him. 'Bingo. I've got him precisely where I want him.' She thought victoriously as she launched a fierce kick to the back of his knees- making them buckle while at the same time wrapping her free arm around his throat in a tight choke hold. "I'll only tell you this once more. Release my wrist Cobra. Or else I will knock you out." She gritted out as she resisted his attempts to break free.  
Eye widening abruptly, Erik froze as his mind came back to the present. "Bright . . . Eyes . . .?" He rasped questioningly. "Why is my head pressed against your chest? Well I'm flattered and all-"  
"Lucy Kick!" A highly embarrassed Blonde shouted- sending the befuddled Poison Dragon Slayer flying into the mint green bathroom stalls with a great crash. "You-you pervert!" She sputtered indignantly while using both of her arms to cover her chest.  
"Urg . . ." Erik groaned as he slowly picked himself up from the debris; all the while casting the key holder a bemused look as she continued to cover her already clothed chest. "You know, it's a little late for that. I've already felt and heard everything."  
"Perv! Lucy kick!"  
"Darn it Heartfilia!" Cobra bellowed as he kicked for the second time into the grungy remains of the toilets.  
________________________________________  
"I wonder where Lu-can is." Levy chewed on her lip while she searched for her friend in the large, mixed crowd of students who were milling around the many greenhouses; all waiting for the professor to show up.  
"I'm sure bunny girl's just fine. I bet snake boy is with her. And because he's a Dragon Slayer like me I know that he won't let any harm come to blondie."  
"Yeah you're right. But I'm worried about Lucy. I know that she's been worrying so much about this whole affair with Hogwarts and the stress of planning everything."  
"Heh. If I know one thing, it's that blondie is as resourceful as she is gutsy."  
"Thanks Gajeel." Levy smiled up at the pierced Slayer glowering at the student body. 'You knew just what to say to me. Then again, you always have.'  
"Excuse me . . ." An inquisitive female voice broke through the comfortable silence that had enveloped the pair of Fioreian Mages. "But did I hear you mention Lucy Heartfilia?"  
"Yeah, and what of it?" Gajeel gruffly asked as he cast a lazy look from corner of his garnet hued eye.  
"Wait, you heard from Lu-chan?!" Levy elbowed her way around the hulking Iron Dragon Slayer to get a clear view of the pretty, red haired, alabaster skinned Gryffindor that stood apart in the sea of drab, plain toned people.  
"Yes …" Ginny Weasley blinked owlishly at the petite Bluenette's sudden, bubbly arrival from behind the seemingly menacing male whom called himself a 'Dragon Slayer'. 'As if.' She scoffed internally. 'Dragon slaying practice has been banned for centuries.'  
"So, what have you heard onnanoko?"  
'Onnanoko?' Ginny's brow rose marginally. 'Is that some type of foreign insult?' Aloud she continued what she had started to say. "Yeah, didn't you hear-"  
'Obviously not. If I had, I wouldn't be here, rusting away while I wait for you to get to the point!' Gajeel grumbled internally; stopped by saying anything out loud by a quick yet vicious jab into his side courtesy of a certain blue haired, Solid Script Mage.  
"-didn't you hear that Heartfilia and that Cobra guy got kicked out from Binns's classroom?"  
"Ehh?! Lu-chan got kicked out?! Along with Cobra-san?!"  
"Ouch. Pipe down would'cha Shrimp? You're hurting my ears."  
"Gomen." Levy rubbed the back of her head sheepishly as she turned back to the waiting Gryffindor. "Please continue."  
"Right." The youngest Weasely looked at Gajeel strangely for a second. 'She wasn't being that loud . . .'  
"Anyway, apparently, according to my brother 'Snake Git' and the 'Dominatrix chick' started arguing over something rather loudly and Professor Binns kicked them out for being disruptive in his 'informative classroom."  
"Gi hi hi. I wonder if I could get kicked out too."  
Next to the evilly smirking Gajeel, Levy was blushing crimson red at the thought of her blonde friend being a dominatrix.  
________________________________________  
"Are you ready to give in yet?" A sultry voice demanded, cracking her spiked, obsidian leather whip against the ground; her eyes rimmed with smokey eyeliner-hair tied up in a high ponytail with two, diamond studded black chopsticks.  
"No? Then I guess you must want more!" Lucy lunged forward; her black cat collar and revealing sable leather outfit creaking in tandem with her movement.  
________________________________________  
The Bluenette quickly slapped both of her hands against her cheeks in an effort to bring her mind from the gutter and back into the present.  
"You okay over there Shrimp?" Gajeel asked her, confused about the odd, mixed scents she was putting off in droves.  
Eyes wide, and cheeks still burning, Levy barely squeaked out her words. "Lu-Lucy a . . . a dominatrix?!"  
Bursting out into loud, raucous guffaws, the former Councilman had to brace himself against his knees or risk falling over. "Bunny Girl a dominatrix? Hah! That's got to be the funniest thing that I've heard in a while. It almost beats lover boy's declaration of wanting to be Flame brain's mate."  
"Yeah, I heard about that." A mild baritone spoke up from behind them. "Apparently, some carrot topped Gryffindor boy boldly, and cluelessly asked to be Natsu's significant other. And let me tell ya, it was freaking hilarious too see Pyro's horrified face. Priceless."  
"Even I have to admit, that was pretty funny." Levy giggled lightheartedly as the mental image of the Fire Mage's horror struck face popped into clear focus. "Even though I haven't known him as long as you have Gray, I still know him well enough to understand that he's into girls. Take Lu-chan and Lisanna as prime examples to that."  
Looking back and forth from the midnight haired Slytherin male whom had just joined their little group, too the two Ravenclaws, Ginny had a sinking feeling that they were referring to her brother's painfully apparent faux pas that morning. 'Ugh. Why couldn't annoying brother dearest have kept his blabbering trap sealed shut? Because, right now, I really wish that I could turn invisible and escape unnoticed. Where's Harry's invisibility cloak when you need it?'  
Taking a fortifying breath, the redhead asked the question that had been burning a hole in her mind. "If you don't mind me asking, why did Dragneel react that way?"  
Gajeel snorted belittlingly at the youngest Weasley. "You wizards truly are an ignorant bunch." He let out a pained grunt when Levy's small foot came down heavily upon his booted one.  
"Be nice!" She admonished while her face went into her best attempt of a glare. "She wasn't raised like you and Natsu-kun were!"  
Again he snorted disdainfully at the Wizards' ignorance. "Che. Even normal humans know about the original meaning of the term. And now these people have bastardized this sacred ritual and started referring to their friends in such a manner. Disgraceful." He spat as his countenance darkened in remembrance of his father's last words.  
________________________________________  
"Gajeel." Metalicana's gravelly voice rang out through the hollowed mountain in which he resided.  
"Yeah, what is it?" The six year old form of Gajeel answered sullenly yet still attentively. Noting how his surrogate father did not address him by 'brat', 'dimwit', 'idiot', or 'moron', but by his actual name; clueing in the young slayer that whatever his scaly tormenter slash guardian had to say was important.  
"I want you to listen very closely to what I'm about to tell you. For what I have to say will help you to avoid making any life altering mistakes." The metal dragon leaned forward so that his hard snout was directly I front of his charge's face; his reptilian eyes boring into Gajeel's own scarlet orbs relentlessly. "So listen very carefully. For I will not tell you a second time."  
'Because I will be forced to leave your life as you know it.' Metalicana closed his eyes in pained regret before opening them again with a loud clink.  
"As I am sure you are aware, but by accepting a part of me into you, you are also accepting all the instincts that I, as a dragon possess."  
"Yeah, and what of it?"  
The surly creature lightly swatted at Gajeel in irritation. "Quiet brat. Listen to your elders when they are speaking to you."  
"Fine." The boy muttered sullenly as he sat cross legged. "I'm listening."  
"Good. As I was saying, since you possess traits that are akin to a dragon's, you need to know a few key facts. So listen well.  
"The first part that you should be aware about is heightened sensitivity."  
"Trust me, I know." Gajeel grumbled.  
"Be quit fool." The metallic dragon bared his teeth at his student. "I wasn't only referring to your senses, but to your soul as well."  
"My soul? What does that have to do with anything?"  
Metalicana just shuffled his iron wings with a billowing sigh. "Everything Gajeel. Everything. When a dragon falls for someone, be it ningen or dragon kind, we fall hard. Both heart and soul become the others to either keep or destroy. For us, there is no such thing as separation. If a dragon's mate were to die, it would be very likely that the other would commit suicide to escape the heartrending agony of losing their soul bound mate. The only possible exception to that would be if they had young kits still in the nest."  
"Mate? What is that? And if it's so painful, why would anyone want to do it?"  
The behemoth let out a grating chuckle that made the earth around them reverberate with vibrations. "A mate is your closest confidant; your friend through the good and the bad; the only one that you ever give your body completely to. As for your second question, you will come to know the answer as time goes on. For it is a lonely, dismal life without someone to share the burden with. But know this-" He raised a jagged claw and pointed it at the attentive Gajeel.  
"Never, under any circumstance, take your mate for granted. She is to be treasured beyond anything else."  
"So she is part of your hoard then?"  
Metalicana reared back; his wings flaring outward as he snarled loudly in vehement disgust. "Never. A mate is to be put above yourself. She always comes first. No matter what. She is not some object you have collected for your hoard, but an equal." He leaned down further until his bared fangs were merely an inch away. "And if I ever hear even the slightest whisper that you have abused her, whether by fist or words, I will make you regret the day you were born. Do you understand brat?"  
"Yes sir." Gajeel gulped loudly at the terrifying promise that he knew his sensei make good on. "I understand."  
"Good." He leaned back. "And as for the second point; you need to be wary about your instincts. As a Dragon Slayer, you are much more in tune with them than normal ningens. Due to that, your emotions-whether good or bad will be amplified double or even tripled what is normal.  
"Which is why you must be able to have an iron control over all your emotions. If not, it could lead to the death of a cherished one."  
"I see."  
"Hmm . . . Perhaps. Now, let us move onto the third point."  
________________________________________  
With a snarl Gajeel broke loose from the memories threatening to engulf him. 'Che. Now why'd I have to go and think about him. He's gone. So why can't I just let him go. Teme . . .' He spat internally, ire rapidly rising.  
"Hey! Calm down man!" Gray shouted when felt his guild mate's magical aura spiral higher and higher with each passing second; attracting the attention of passing students.  
The enraged slayer looked down at the hand roughly grasping his arm. "Release me." He growled lowly in warning at the Ice Maker Mage when he did not let go of him, without thinking, Gajeel flashed his fist forward-briefly morphing it into its hardened metal form before turning back to its original shape as soon as Gray impacted one of the many glass green houses.  
Noticing how the red eyed Mage was moving towards her downed comrade, Levy raced in front of the Slayer with her arms spread out.  
"Gajeel stop it!" The Bluenette cried out, flinching out of reflex and remembrance when she saw the iron shod fist coming at her. "This isn't like you!"  
Stopping just centimeters from hitting the petite Ravenclaw, Gajeel felt his eyes widen out of horror as his father's words came back to him.  
"And know this boy, if you ever lay an abusive finger on your mate, I will make sure that you rue the day you were born."  
'Kuso.' He swore viciously as his sanity returned to him in painful waves of clarity. 'I almost did it again. I guess a tiger really can't change it stripes.' His laughed bitterly out loud; startling everyone in hearing range.  
"Levy . . . I-" He reached out his hand to touch her face, but stopped when he saw her shy away from his touch.  
He drew his fingers away, curling them into a ball as he released another bittersweet chuckle. "Still afraid of me, aren't you, little fairy?" Gajeel asked rhetorically as he turned away from the silent Bluenette to glance over at dazed Ice Mage who had yet to get up. "Sorry Ice Boy. Didn't mean to punch you like that. If you want to get even I won't blame ya."  
Without waiting for an answer, Gajeel began to walk away, ignoring Levy's pleas with a heavy heart as he quickly vanished from everyone's sight and senses.  
'Well, looks like the old piece of scrap metal was right. I should've listened.'  
________________________________________  
"Darn, he hits harder than Natsu. Either that or Ash Breath's been holding holdin' out on me." Gray groaned as he slowly pulled himself from the pile of rubble- carefully cradling his sore ribs. "Finally, I'm free. I thought I would never get out." He began stumbling his way towards the enlarged opening that his body made, when a shudder worthy thought occurred to him. 'What if Erza or Mira hear about this?'  
"I really hope that doesn't happen . . . Hey, what's going on?" Gray questioned from behind the red-haired girl that they had been speaking to before Gajeel got irritated.  
"Huh? You're up?!" Ginny exclaimed in shock. "But how? I saw you take a direct hit to the ribs."  
He angled a half-hearted smirk at the incredulous Wizard. "Heh. It would take a lot more than Kurogane's fists to knock me down for the count."  
"Oh." She floundered for a response before cocking her head to the side curiously. "Kur-o-ga-ni? What does that mean?"  
"Ku-lro ga-nay." Gray corrected automatically while searched for someone. "And it means Black Steel. Hey, have you seen Levy anywhere? She's so short I can't spot her." The Maker Mage questioned while he stripped down to his boxers unknowingly.  
Ginny felt her eyes boggle outward at the sight of the Slytherin's mostly bare body. 'Though I've got to admit, he's built. In all the good ways. Not too muscled and not too lean; just right. Gah! What am I thinking? I need to get my mind out of the gutter!' She blushed hotly as he moved closer out of concern; almost fainting when he placed his surprisingly cool hand against her forehead.  
"Are you alright? You feel like you're getting a fever. Do you need me to cool you down?"  
'Who am I kidding?' She let her head fall on the unknown man's chest with a dull thunk. 'What teenage girl wouldn't fantasize over those drool worthy abs?'  
"Huh?" Gray stabilized the Gryffindor's suddenly lax body in surprise. 'Was it something I said?'  
Abruptly coming to the embarrassing realization that she was currently pressed tightly to a boy, whom she still did not know the name of, her eyes shot open and the first thing she noticed was the large, dark blue . . . Fairy like symbol emblazed on his toned chest, Ginny quickly pull away and put a few feet of distance between the two of them.  
About to apologize, Ginny paused when she the distinct sound of sobs echoing throughout the now empty area, she looked over and saw the tiny blue-haired Ravenclaw on the ground crying without care to anyone watching.  
"Levy. . ." Gray spoke softly as he came up behind her; placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Any concern about his pain was gone instantly at the sight of one of his friends bawling her eyes out next to a tree. "What's wrong?"  
"Gray!" She threw herself at him, wrapping her fingers tightly around his now thankfully clothed chest; sobbing loudly as he just held her in a brotherly manner. His flint colored orbs hard and cold- distinct black marking beginning to creep up his torso and onto his face while ice began to spread beneath his boot shod feet.  
'Who ever made her cry is going to pay.'  
Watching the two Fairy Tail students hug each other, Ginny could not help but feel like she was intruding on something private. 'Oh gosh. I just hugged a girl's boyfriend right in smack in front of her. No wonder she's crying!'  
'Wait, what's that sound?' She frowned while at the same time searching for icy creaking noise that was reverberating around the clearing. Finally after a few moments of searching, her gaze landed on the aforementioned 'Gray', the redhead's orbs widening significantly as she took in the ice creeping outward from underneath his boots to the inky obsidian marking slowly forming themselves on the right side of his face. 'What is going on with him? Why is there ice forming under his feet? And more importantly, why are there strange tattoos randomly appearing on his face?'  
As if a light bulb had gone off above her head, Ginny suddenly remembered Gray's earlier words.  
"Want me to cool you down?"  
"Cool me down . . ." She whispered quietly to herself. "Does he have some sort of affinity with Ice? But how . . .?"  
"It, it's Gajeel." The Solid Script Mage hiccupped. "I've done something terrible."  
"What?" He gently questioned her; holding on to her tightly when her body began to shake uncontrollably.  
"I . . . I flinched away from him when he needed me the most! I thought I was over that."  
"Are you referring to the Phantom Lord incident, Levy?" Gray inquired, his voice raspier as his transition into his other form was completed.  
Soundlessly she nodded into his clothes.  
"I see." He sighed, frost escaping his lips at the same time due to the sudden decrease in temperature. "Even though it was close to nine years ago, and even though you may have forgiven the man who hurt you, you still are tormented by those unrelenting ghosts that keep prodding you to be afraid and run, right?"  
Without waiting for an answer, the Ice Devil Slayer continued onward. "Trust me, I've had my share of those too. In fact-" The image of his former master Ur flashed across his mind. "I practically reveled in the darkness of them when I was little."  
Levy lifted her head to look at her guild mate through puffy, blood-shot eyes. "How did you escape them?"  
At that question, Gray released a light rasping chuckle while also stepping away from Levy at the same time; briefly leaning down to softly whisper a few last words. "Through time and my Master, Ur's never ending patience and sacrifice." He stepped backwards towards the Green Houses, pausing only to tell Levy something. "Oh, and Levy? You might want to clean yourself up." He raised his hands; forestalling any complaints. "Don't worry, I'll speak to the teacher and give a plausible reason why you're not in class."  
She smiled tumultuously up at him. "Thanks Gray."  
"Anytime Levy, anytime." He waved a casual hand above him. "You coming Gryffindor girl?"  
"Yeah. And it's Ginny. Ginny Weasley." She jogged over to him-glancing sideways.  
"Gray Fullbuster."  
"If you don't mind me asking, what do those marking mean?"  
"Markings? What markings?" He stopped in mid step; confusion evident on his face.  
"You know," Ginny gestured to his slightly exposed chest to his face. "Those."  
"Huh?" Gray looked down and promptly swore. "Crap! When'd these appear?!"  
"Sometime around . . ." She scrunched her nose in thought. "When you comforted . . ." Ginny trailed off, unsure about the Ravenclaw's name.  
"McGarden, Levy McGarden." He supplied without missing a beat.  
"Right, her. During that time, they just started creeping upward until your hair did that wacky changing thing and then they stopped moving."  
"Darn it." Gray sighed while running an aggravated hand through his now spiked hair. "I thought had better control than that."  
"What do you mean? Is the change harmful others?"  
He rubbed his eyes, bringing his heavily marked right arm into sight. "Yes and no."  
"What? You're making no sense."  
The Mage let out a rueful exhale. "While this form is dangerous to anyone I deem an enemy, the same is true of my base magical power. But what makes this form dangerous is that I could totally and utterly obliterate someone's soul off the face of the earth just by scoring a direct, lethal hit to one of their vital organs."  
"And will you do it?" She looked at him evenly in the eye as they stood motionless in front on the large building to their left.  
He inclined his head. "If need be, yes. But what this form is truly for is not to kill normal people. But to quench the scorching flames of a . . . Demon created solely for the destruction of the world as we know it."  
"Is it still alive?" She squeaked, her cheeks having gone an unflattering shade of white.  
The Slayer released a mirthless laugh. "You don't have to worry, while E.N.D is still alive, he is sleeping. Hopefully never to be woken again."  
"E.N.D? And what do you mean, again?! Why didn't you kill when you had the chance?"  
"That name is not up for discussion." He curtly replied. "As for second question however, it turns out, when the time came, I couldn't do the deed. And that's that." His eyes turned shadowed. 'Especially once I looked into his eternally trusting eyes and saw that he too did not want this cursed life that fate had woven for him.'  
Ginny could not help but feel as though there was more to the story, but much to the dismay of her curiosity, they were standing outside the building that they needed to enter for.  
Taking a deep, calming breath, Gray sealed his Slayer power away and returned to his usual form with a small flurry of snowflakes. "Well, ready to go in?" He held the door open for her.  
"Sure." She replied distractedly, mind still churning over what had been said. "Let's go."  
________________________________________  
"To repot a mandrake root-" Professor Sprout paused in her lecture when she heard the Green House door squeal open. Revealing two of the most unlikely walking partners. "Miss Weasley, Mister Fullbuster?" She blinked, and blinked again just to check and see that what she was seeing was not an illusion. "You're here, together?"  
"Sorry Professor Sprout." Ginny apologized. "We got held up."  
"Oh, and that reminds me," Gray turned to the teacher intently. Paying no mind to the incredulous stares nor the scathing glares being cast his way for being with a Gryffindor. "Levy McGarden got sick to her stomach on the way over and we had to take her to the Madame Promfrey to get healed. Because of that, Madame Promfrey ordered strict bedrest for the rest of the day."  
Beside him, Ginny felt her jaw drop in sheer disbelief at that the sight of Gray Fullbuster's perfectly mastered façade of angelic heroism as he painted a very vivid tale of how they had to go all the way to the nurse's office and back, which was why they were late. 'I don't know whether to applaud him or shame him for being able to tell such a believable lie.'  
Professor Sprout clapped her hands joyfully. "That's fifty points for Gryffindor and Slytherin each, for being willing to risk detention to help a fellow student in need. Now, get some earmuffs on. You're going to need them! Don't forget to seal them tightly. Wouldn't want any more trips to the hospital wing!"  
The Redhead picked her jaw off the floor as she followed mutely behind the tall Slytherin. 'Okay, definitely the latter option. Heck, I think he deserves an award!'  
Once they were situated, Gray smirked down at Ginny. "Why so surprised?"  
"I don't know, maybe because you conned our teacher into thinking that we're some bloody saints!" She hissed back; plopping her pink leopard earmuffs over her ears before her partner in crime could even answer.  
________________________________________  
"Now then," Lucy crossed her arms irately under her chest. "Will you finally explain to me why you suddenly went into commando mode?"  
"I heard something." Erik answered matter of factly as if it explained everything.  
The Key Holder let out a wearied sigh. 'Men.'  
"What about men Bright Eyes."  
"Ugh . . . Why do I have to explain my thoughts to a mind reader?"  
"Because your mind is so freaking convoluted. That's why." The Poison Dragon Slayer hollered back over his shoulder as he examined the disgustingly dirty sinks that appeared as if that had never been touched with any sort of cleaning products in the entirety of their whole lives. "And I hear souls. Not read people's minds. If you're going to insult me, do it right."  
She silently pulled the lower lid of her left eye down and stuck her tongue out at Cobra's turned back.  
"Real mature Heartfilia." He rolled his single orb in disbelief. 'And she's the one making all the plans?'  
"I can be serious you know."  
"Ehh?" Erik jolted in surprise. "What makes you say that?"  
Coming up beside him, the blonde snorted in a very unladylike manner. "While I may not be able to read souls," She stressed the word souls at his very pointed look. "But I did grow up having to discern what someone is feeling based on the way they carry their body."  
"So you learned to read body language?" He paused in his search to glance out of the corner of his eye at her.  
"Hai." She responded quietly while moving to the opposite side. 'I had to. Or else I would have been walked over by those my father called 'friends'.'  
Cobra made a light, understanding sound in the back of his throat as he went back to work-knowing all too well the dangers of not knowing when someone was irritated, sad, happy, or just plain old wanting to deceive you.  
"What are we searching for?"  
"The source of the voice that I heard."  
"Where do you think you heard it?"  
"The way that the soul sounded . . . was weird. As if it were coming from beneath us. And the only explanation for that would be if there-"  
"Was an underground tunnel around here." Lucy finished for him; her eyes practically glowing in victory at the discovery.  
"Correct." He smirked at her; immensely enjoying the fact that there was at least one person who could keep up with his train of thoughts.  
"If you don't mind me asking," She finished inspecting the other sinks and came over to the last one and crouched down next to the Soul Listening Mage. "What are we searching for?"  
"Something out of the ordinary in this dingy place they call a bathroom."  
"Hmm . . ." She hummed thoughtfully before running a slim finger over a serpentine indention. "Cobra, look at the base of the third sink. See anything odd about it?"  
"Yeah, there's some sort of serpent engraved on it." He ran his palm over it curiously. "And now that I think about it, the voice I heard had certain snake-like qualities about it."  
"Want to push it?"  
"Are you serious?" Erik asked in disbelief; a dumbfounded look upon his normally apathetic features. "Isn't that how so many people die in those Lacrima-movies?"  
Lucy laughed loudly, nearly slapping the floor in mirth, only to stop an inch from it when she thought about all the germs probably coating the tiled surface in droves. "Oh, gosh. Who knew? The great and terrible Poison Dragon Slayer Cobra watches mystery movies!"  
"Say a word and you're dead." He growled warningly at her.  
She waved her wrist in a pacifying way while she tried and failed to get the image of Cobra in a tacky explorer costume out of her head. Eventually her fit of laughter got the best of her and she fell over into the ex-convict's lap to avoid passing out from lack of oxygen.  
With his eye twitching in an annoyed manner, he frostily ground out, "Are you done yet?"  
"Nope! Not even close!" The Celestial Mage chirped, dissolving into breathless giggles once more.  
"Heartfilia." He growled menacingly. "Shut up or else I'll make you shut up."  
"Aye Sir . . ."  
Finally after several minutes of random bouts of laughter, Lucy was finally able to compose herself and talk seriously. "So, are you going to push on it?"  
"Yes." He leaned forward, firmly tracing the Serpentine engraving until he felt a give and pushed.  
With a mighty clang, the sinks began to shake while dust and debris fell from the suddenly rotating porcelain sinks as they lifted both upward and outward to reveal a grim encrusted shoot that seemed to go on endlessly.  
"Hey, where do you think it leads to?" Lucy asked while cautiously peering over the edge to see if she could spot the bottom.  
"Why don't you jump in and see?" Erik retorted drily. "After all, isn't it, ladies first as the old saying goes?"  
"Jerk." The blonde muttered quietly to herself. "As if I would blindly jump into an unknown darkened tunnel with who-knows-what covering the sides, and with no end sight."  
"And here I thought all you Fairies were stupidly courageous. I'm glad to see that at least one of you has some common sense. Even if you are a blonde."  
"What's that supposed to mean?!  
Cobra sighed as he shook his head ruefully at the Celestial Mage. "Nothing Bright Eyes. Nothing at all."  
"So, who's going first?"  
"I will." Erik briefly glanced downward before hurdling himself into the fathomless abyss.  
"Cobra!" Lucy hurriedly rushed over to the side. "Are you alright?"  
With growing concern for her comrade when he did not answer her, Lucy jumped in after him without a thought about her life as she flew through the damp tunnel at a high velocity.  
"Oomph!" The Key Holder exhaled harshly when she landed on a soft, heated surface. "What did I land on? It feels so warm . . ."  
"Urmm . . . .! Urmm!"  
"Huh?" Lucy looked down when she felt her landing pillow starting to thrash around. "Ehh?! Cobra?"  
"Gerr . . . oof!" He tried to yell through Lucy's smothering tackle which had his face pressed so tightly against her chest that he could not get air. She quickly pulled herself off the Poison Dragon Slayer with a flush of embarrassment.  
"Finally," He gasped for air as he bent double, trying to recover from her, 'Let's Kill Cobra with Your Boobs' moment. "Darn woman, you could kill someone with those!"  
"Gomen Nasai!" She cried out in extreme mortification. "I thought that you may have needed help . . ."  
"So you jumped in here, not knowing if I lived or not, and in the meanwhile half crushed me with your landing, then almost suffocated me with your chest? Did I sum it all about up?"  
Lucy nodded slowly, looking very red in the face as she chewed on her lips silently. 'Gah! Why did I have to be reckless? Not to mention . . .' She cast a shy glance at the glaring Slayer next to her. 'The fact that I practically forced Cobra to face grope me! Oh gosh. Why me? What if . . .'  
Shoulders beginning to shake harder with every passing moment as he listened to the blonde's down spiraling train of thought, Erik finally could not hold it in any longer and released a booming laugh that had him slapping the floor in his hilarity.  
"Cobra . . ." She growled slowly while her fist balled automatically as she contemplated doing a Regulus Lucy Kick on the Poison Dragon Slayer just to get him to shut up. "Stop laughing . . . Besides, don't we have a job to do?" Lucy glared pointedly.  
"Fine, I'll put a sock in it; only if you stop thinking up various ways to make me be quiet."  
"Hmph." She turned away and began marching towards the direction that the air was flowing from.  
"Really?" He raised his brow at her pettiness. "Haven't you grown past that stage Bright Eyes?"  
"Yes I have. But it seems that when I'm with you, my maturity level plummets too."  
"Ouch Bright Eyes, burn . . ."  
Lucy let out a huff of air before coming to a stop. "I'm sorry."  
"Huh?" He grunted out in mild surprise, not having seen that one coming.  
"I'm sorry alright. I shouldn't have said that. It was rude of me and uncalled for."  
"It's fine." He uncrossed his arms and moved around the blonde Celestial Mage and began walking again. "I've heard much worse."  
"But still-"  
"Don't sweat it Bright Eyes." Erik interrupted her. "Let's get our minds back on the topic at hand."  
"Okay." She smiled brightly; lighting up the dismal tunnel with her infectious cheerfulness. "Let's go exploring!"  
"Sure." He felt a small smile tug at the corners of his lips. 'She really is the Light of Fairy Tail. When she is sad, everyone is depressed. But when she is happy, it seems as though there is this warm light is beaming down, cleansing all the wrong from the world. Making everyone happy and at peace. Then again, that could be due to the fact that her soul's ever dancing symphonies seem to swirl and wrap around those she cares for. Shielding them with her luminance.' He closed his eyes, enjoying the ever melodious melody that was her soul. 'And I doubt that she and realizes what she is doing.'  
________________________________________  
"Severus." The bespectacled Headmaster greeted his greasy haired ally insipidly as he made his way into Dumbledore's spacious office.  
"Albus." Snape replied in a similar, bland manner. "I presume, by your lack of reaction earlier today that you are aware of why I have come here today?"  
"If it is regarding the Fairy Tail Mages, then yes, I do."  
"I see." The Defense Teacher's beady black eyes narrowed minutely. "Since you seem to know the direction of my thoughts, perhaps it would be better to skip all this small talk and get to the point of the matter at hand."  
Albus laced his fingers as he leaned forward out of feigned curiosity. "Which would be?"  
Snape glowered menacingly at the gray haired Wizard. "Do not play me for a fool. I know that these 'Mages' are not normal. Not only that, but they seem awfully intent to protect the student body." He stalked up and slammed his fingers against the polished wood surface of the desk; making al the gadgets on top of it rattle. "Which positively reeks of your doing. So-"  
Severus lowered his voice as he leaned closer to the wrinkled face opposite of him. "Tell me why you saw fit to ask a bunch of teenagers to guard your precious school when you have a whole team of fit Wizards prepared to do just that."  
"Ah Severus . . ." Dumbledore sighed in weariness as he turned away to gaze out at the lovely sunset turning the sky pink and gold in its vividly hued brilliance. "I have a feeling, that those children are long past being teenagers."  
"Explain."  
Again the aged man let a gust of air slip past his lips. "It is all in their eyes."  
"I have looked into their eyes, and have seen no such thing."  
"Then you must look deeper. It is all there; the pain and heartbreak that they have all felt. Those Severus-" Albus peered straight into the former Death Eater's ashen orbs with an unnerving look. "Are the eyes of a world weary soldier; someone who has seen to many wars in their lifetime. It is all there if you look for it."  
"Fine," Snape's lip curled contemptuously. "I'll concede to that. But you still have not answered my question. Why have you brought these foreigners here?"  
"Because I have heard something terrible." Dumbledore's normally bright and twinkling blue orbs became lifeless as his body began to tremble. "In these horrific words, I saw our world, as we know it, end."  
"What do you mean, end? When did this occur?!"  
"This happened when I was having afternoon tea with Sybil . . . And out of the blue, her Gift of Foresight started speaking and she foretold a terrible future. A future so horrific even I shudder to think back on them."  
"Do you have a copy of this prophecy?"  
"Yes." Albus unlocked a secret drawer with a trembling hand. "Here, read it and tell me if I was too drastic in the summoning of these Fairies from their world."  
Snape stilled abruptly. "You said summoned these Fairies from their world. Are you saying that they are not from this land?"  
Not answering him, the Headmaster merely nodded tiredly at the crinkled parchment in his colleague's pale hand. "Read on Severus."  
"As you wish." He slowly opened the scroll with caution; treating it as though it were made of glass.  
"All things in the universe turn to ashes,  
While chaos reigns, mighty Apocalypse comes,  
Ruin and terror follow,  
Winds of death rage,  
Flames of sorrow spread,  
Golden tears beg for respite,  
The One who lived dies without the Light of the Sprite,  
Gates of the Netherworld open,  
Immortals walk,  
Mortals fall,  
The hammer strikes,  
The gong sounds,  
The iron bells toll,  
Flowers of blood grow,  
Crosses rise from turned earth,  
Beings of Tartarus arise from oblivion,  
Gold and silver clash against gleaming talons,  
Bonds are forged and unforged,  
Alone we fall,  
United we stand,  
One without the other dies,  
United we stand,  
Divided . . . we fall."  
Severus lowered the parchment, feeling as though he had just been submerged in sub-zero water. "Tell me . . ." He began hoarsely. "Are the Sprites mentioned those Fairy Tail Mages?"  
Dumbledore nodded with deadened eyes. "Yes, I believe so. All evidence appears to points that way."  
"How do you know this for sure?"  
The gray haired Wizard stood up and strode towards another locked case. Handing a clear blue crystal over to his shaken friend. "This."  
"What is this? I've never felt anything like it."  
"I do believe that I asked that very same question to the previous Headmaster as well. And do you want to know what he said?"  
"Fine, I'll ask the obvious question. What?"  
Albus extended his index finger to point at the Lacrima. "Turn it over."  
"Turn it over? That's what he said?"  
"Indeed."  
Snape twisted the circular orb around until his palms rubbed against something rough. "What the-" He muttered, breath catching as he read the inscription.  
"When Darkness Encroaches,  
Light Sputters,  
Hope Fades,  
Remember the Fairies' Light."  
"Well then," He placed the Lacrima carefully into the waiting, wrinkled hands. "I would certainly say that, that definitely clarifies as light sputtering if that prophecy is anything to go by. But I do have a question."  
"Ask away." Dumbledore responded, mildly surprised how well Severus was taking the news. 'Then again, he is use to life or death situations. Especially after having served Voldemort for so long.'  
"What are a bunch of young adults supposed to do against foes of that magnitude?"  
"I asked myself the same question when I first saw them too."  
"Really. And what changed your mind?"  
"Their passion. I still remember the looks on their faces when they thought that one of their own had been hurt." He paused, bringing the mental image of them to the forefront of his mind. "It was trilling yet terrifying at the same time. Even though they were separate in terms of bodies, it felt as though there was a single monster coiling around Mad-Eye and me and baring its fangs at us with such ferocity."  
"Even so, that does not answer my question."  
"Ah yes, forgive me. While the deciding factor may have been what I mentioned before, but when I saw Mister Dragneel's fiery, passionate display, I somehow knew that they would be able to help us through our plight."  
"I must ask, you mention that they refer to themselves as 'Mages', what is the difference between a Mage and a Wizard. I know that according to lore, the way that Mages use magic are vastly different from Wizards, but what actually makes them different?"  
"Hmm . . ."Albus stroked his long gray beard thoughtfully. "I'm not entirely sure myself. But thinking back, I noticed that Dragneel and Dreyar both seemed to have some sort of base element that they used. In that I think is the key to the main difference between us."  
"I see." Snape's eyes narrowed in thought. "So the Mages use more of the raw elements whereas we Wizards use the refined elements."  
The Headmaster hummed affirmatively at his colleague's assumption with a faint smile. "I don't think I could have summed it up any better. Do you have any more questions?"  
"Previously you mentioned in passing that they are not from this land. Expound upon that comment."  
"Very well." Dumbledore rubbed his temples when he felt the tell-tale aching of a headache coming. "As I am sure you have guessed, but that Crystal has been passed down from Headmaster to Headmaster. And according to legend, this orb has been here ever since the founding of Hogwarts. Waiting to be used."  
"When you say since the founding, do you mean that this Fairy met our four great Wizards in their prime?"  
"I mean preciously that."  
"Explain." The Former Death Eater uttered quietly.  
"Think back Severus. Remember what the hat said?  
"Among them one left unknown,  
Traverser of the dimensions,  
She was so named,  
Lost, scared, and alone,  
Brave Gryffindor rescued,  
Gentle Hufflepuff healed,  
Wise Ravenclaw directed,  
Mighty Slytherin guided,"  
"I believe that the verse was speaking of the woman who gave us this sphere. A person from another dimension."  
"Fascinating. Simply Fascinating." Snape murmured. "And did these Fairy Tail Mages come from another world as well?"  
The older Wizard responded positively. "Any more questions?"  
"No." The Black Haired Pariah turned around; his dark robes billowing out behind him. "I will be taking my leave. Thank you for your time."  
"Anytime Severus." Dumbledore quickly caught his Defense Teacher's attention when he noticed an unopened scroll laying on his desk. "Oh, do you think that you could give this to Harry for me?"  
"Why must I do it?" Snape eye balled the rolled up paper with distaste. "Why not some other student. You know that I detest that brat."  
"Because, I will not be having anymore guests after you until Harry arrives. Besides, you cared for his mother Lily." Albus stated with a twinkling gleam in his blue eyes.  
Snape stilled and responded in an coolly clipped tone. "That was a long time ago."  
"Perhaps. But you still care enough about her that your patronus mimics hers and enough to watch over her only child."  
"Fine I'll do it." He snatched the parchment quickly. "Now I really will be leaving."  
"Have a pleasant evening Severus."  
"Hn."  
________________________________________  
Muttering insults under his breath, Severus Snape strode imposingly down the stone corridor, scaring away any students whom walked the same path to scurry away in fear at the sight of the dark glower on the already usually thorny Slytherin's face. 'That manipulative old geezer. I should hex him for doing this to me.'  
"Oh my," A light voice called out in the previously empty hallway. "Quite the glare you have there. It almost rivals Laxus's on a bad day."  
"Watch it Hufflepuff." Snape replied back testily. "I could have you put in detention for that."  
Mira just smiled back gently. "But you won't will you?"  
The Head of Slytherin glared poisonously the woman standing benignly in front of him before his face switched into a nasty smirk as he came up with a way to slither out of having to play errand boy to Potter. "Here, take this." He shoved the scroll in the unexpected hands.  
"What's this for?" She gazed at the object laying innocently in her grasp.  
"Give it to Harry Potter."  
Mirajane's countenance suddenly warped into her scary she-devil expression. "Professor Snape . . " She drawled out, voice no longer sweet but cold and menacing-causing the loner to shiver in fear. "You had better not be shirking your duties on to me . . ."  
Trying to desperately wiggle his way of the demon's invisible hold, Snape rapidly worked through several options. "The headmaster tasked me to find a suitable student to deliver this message to Potter." He lied smoothly.  
"Oh, I see." Mira returned to her bubbly persona. "In that case, point me in the right direction and I'll have your message delivered in jiffy."  
"He would be at the study by now. Which straight ahead and to the right." Severus watched mutely as she practically skipped away-any trace of her former anger was gone. Leaving him with one question. 'Is she bi-polar?'  
________________________________________  
Quickly striding into the packed study hall, Ginny Weasley looked around for the familiar mop of impossibly messy coal black hair that belonged to her friend, Harry Potter. 'Come on Harry, where are you …? There!' She spotted him in a lone corner, for once without Hermione or Ron.  
Quietly making her way to friend, the redhead lightly tapped him on the shoulder.  
"Huh?" Harry jolted in surprise when he felt the soft touch. Relaxing when he saw that it was only Ginny, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh hey Ginny, what's wrong?" He asked, noting her slightly strained expression.  
"Can I talk to you?"  
Taken aback at the simplicity of the question, Harry gazed stupidity at her for a second before leaning forward to clear a spot for the youngest Weasley to sit. "Here you go. So, what's wrong?"  
She inhaled deeply, briefly swiveling her eyes back and to check and see if anyone was listening; which they were. "Could you cast an anti-listening spell?"  
"Sure." Harry flicked his wand in tandem with muttering the correct phrasing. "There you go. No one should be able to hear, or get near us now."  
Ginny shot him a grateful look for being so willing to ensure that their talk would go uninterrupted. "Thanks Harry."  
He flashed her a quick grin. "No problem. Now what did you want to tell me?"  
She opened her mouth to begin speaking, but the shattering of the spell caused her to close it.  
"Excuse me," An innocently sweet voice broke the silencing spell without any apparent effort, bring Harry and Ginny's budding conversation to a screeching halt. "But are you Potter-san?"  
"Yes . . ." Harry slowly trailed off as he took in the long black dress with silver ruffles attached to it and the yellow Hufflepuff badge clipped onto the gray sash tied around her waist. "Why do ask?" He cast an apologetic look at Ginny.  
"Because I was asked to give you these." Mira held open her palm a revealed an ivory colored scroll with a deep purple ribbon tying it shut.  
The scarred wizard looked at the rolled up parchment is slight trepidation. Half fearing that was from Slughorn; inviting him to one of his 'Slug Club' parties. "Who's it from?"  
"From Headmaster Dumbledore-san." She canted her head to side, causing her luminescent white hair to gently drape to the side. "Why do you look so relieved?"  
He flashed a quick, awkward smile. Ignoring Ginny's completely understanding look that overshadowed the annoyance of being interrupted. "No reason. I'm just happy to see Professor Dumbledore is all."  
"Whatever you say." Mira merrily giggled. "I better get going. Erza and Flare-san are waiting for me." She turned away and began walking away without another word.  
'Wait, that's all? She's not to gawk at my scar or fan-girl? In fact, I think, she treated me . . . Like a normal person.'  
"Hey, wait!" He lunged for her wrist, bringing the unknown woman to halt.  
"Nani?" The Takeover Mage questioned as she turned her back in surprise.  
Even though she may have spoken in a foreign language, Harry still got the gist of what she had said. "I uh didn't get your name."  
"It's Mirajane Strauss." She replied gently with a soft smile. "But my friends call me Mira."  
"Harry Potter."  
"Hajimemashite Potter-san."  
"Yeah, like wise."  
Giving him a searching look, Mira asked, "Would you like to walk with me Potter-san?  
About to respond yes, the Boy Who Lived suddenly remembered the scroll in his robe pocket and the waiting redhead by the table, watching. "I'm sorry, but I can't." He responded with sincere disappointment. "I have meet Professor Dumbledore soon."  
"Souka." The Silver Haired Woman sighed. "Maybe another time, ne?"  
"Right." He released the slender alabaster wrist reluctantly. "Well, see you around." He muttered while shoving his hands into his pockets as he trudged out of the dead silent study hall, sending one last look at the disheartened Ginny just watching him without word. Silently he mouthed, 'sorry'.  
________________________________________  
Harry hesitated briefly as he raised his hand to knock; thoughts running rampant in his mind.  
'I wonder what Professor Dumbledore wants? Is it about Voldemort? Or is it something that I've done?'  
"Come in, Harry." The Headmaster's aged tenor called out through the thick wood door that opened without another sound.  
Feeling stupid with his fist hanging awkwardly the air, the sable haired Potter lowered his hand stepped into the extravagantly decorated room. "Hello Professor."  
"Well, don't just there, take a seat." Albus waved his wand-conjuring a comfy looking chair.  
Before Harry could even move in the direction of the chair, an indignant coo sounded out beside him. "Hello Fawkes."  
"Please forgive me," The Boy who Lived bowed as he apologized to the ethereal creature stabilizing itself on the large desk. "I did not notice you."  
He quickly added, bringing up his hand to stroke the Phoenix's reddish gold plumage.  
Fawkes let a contented purr and hopped back to his high perch; spreading his vibrantly hued feathers for balance.  
"That was handled very well Harry." Dumbledore good-naturedly chuckled. "Have you ever considered working with magical beasts instead of being an Auror?"  
Harry shook his head slowly. "Sorry Professor, but I haven't."  
"Hmm . . ." The elder wizard nodded in thought a couple of times before speaking. "Tell me something, are you merely choosing this career path solely because you feel that it would please your parents, or are you choosing it due to the easiness that advanced spells come to you?"  
"Actually Professor," He clenched and unclenched his hands as he fidgeted. "I think it's a bit of both. I partially choose it because of the practicality and ease that comes with. But mainly, I thought if I chose something in the battle field that it would make my parents proud of me." Harry looked down-letting out a half-hearted bitter laugh. "I know, it's stupid. But somehow I deluded myself into thinking that."  
Dumbledore got up and placed a wrinkled hand on the boy's shoulder gently. "No Harry. There is nothing wrong with trying to honor your parents, just don't go too far, alright? Many good people have fallen and never returned. Be strong Harry. Be yourself."  
*Knock, Knock*  
"Were you expecting anyone else?" Harry looked at the door curiously.  
"No. Not that I am aware of." Raising both his wand and voice, Albus called out to the person behind the door. "Who is it?"  
Pausing for a brief second, a lilting alto responded with grave sincerity. "I am Meredy of Fairy Tail. Headmaster Dreyar sent me. May I come in?"  
"Please, come in." Dumbledore responded graciously, swishing his wand to magically open the heavy door.  
Harry's bespectacled emerald eyes immediately were drawn to the long, bubblegum pink hair that was accessorized with a pair of charcoal earmuffs and the draping dark blue cloak worn over her short black dress with a silver . . . bow tied around it. 'Why is it that almost everyone from this foreign school has some odd shade of hair? So far I have seen silver hair on a girl who is obviously not elderly, crimson red hair on the Hufflepuffs, azure blue on a Ravenclaw, maroon on a Slytherin, navy blue on Marvel, and pink hair on Dragneel. I think the only ones without weird hair colors are the two blondes, Heartfilia and their Headmaster Dreyar.  
'And the black haired Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While ordinarily I would immediately say that they dyed their hair those ridiculous colors, but somehow, I can't bring myself to believe that. Maybe they are natural. Who knows? Weirder things have happened.' He shrugged mentally, zoning back into the conversation happening in front of him.  
"-Terribly sorry for barging in like this. Dreyar-dono was sure that I would not be interrupting anything important."  
Smiling benignly at the sweet Maguilty Mage, Dumbledore waved her worries away casually. "You are not imposing. Young Harry and I have yet to start. So please, pass on your message."  
Meredy bowed formally, her robe sliding forward to reveal her burgundy Crime Sorcière emblem on her chest. "Thank you, Dumbledore-dono. Dreyar-dono requested that I extend the invitation to meet him tomorrow morning concerning a matter of utmost importance."  
"I see." Albus stroked his beard. "And why did your headmaster not take this up with me personally right now?"  
Barely batting an eye at the sudden questioning, the former dark Mage responded in a tone bereft of any emotion. "I offer my sincerest apologies for him being unable to come. He is currently having a one on one with Cobra-san and will continue to be until late this evening."  
"Hmm." He gazed narrowly at her for a second before seemingly coming to a decision. "When does his wish to meet?"  
Meredy closed her eyes while concealing her glowing wrist out of sight. "Is twelve tonight acceptable?" She opened her dark magenta orbs.  
"Yes that is fine."  
"My thanks. I will notify him posthaste. I will take my leave and allow you and -" she looked inquisitively at the Boy who Lived.  
"Harry Potter." He supplied helpfully; mind churning at the wonderful implications her question raised.  
The Pinkette nodded gratefully in the sable haired boy's direction. "I will let you and Potter-san get back to what you were doing before. Have a pleasant evening." She bowed her way out of the room.  
When she had left, Harry finally felt himself blink as he turned to his headmaster puzzlement. "Is she always so formal?"  
"I do not know Harry. But from what I have observed, no she isn't always like that. Perhaps it is her way of protecting herself from emotional backlash."  
"What do mean Professor?"  
Dumbledore stared into space silently before quietly answering his young student's question. "If you had been hurt to many times too count and you travel to a strange place, would you want to open yourself up to others, only for you to be forced leave them in the end. Would you want to risk going through that heartrending pain again?"  
Harry trained his eyes on the floor; suddenly having an understanding of Meredy's cool and detached attitude. "No, I wouldn't."  
"Good." Dumbledore clapped his hands once, bringing his protégé's attention back to him. "Now that you understand that, let us get back to the main purpose of why I have summoned you here."  
"Is it because of your hand?"  
"Partially," Albus responded as he moved to the water crystal Pensive. "But before we move onto to that, I would like to show you a few memories about someone. Some knew him as Tom Marvelo Riddle while other know him as Voldemort. And as the age old adage goes, 'Know thy enemy'."  
"We're going to look into Voldemort's past?" Harry asked incredulously. "But how?"  
Dumbledore raised a calming finger. "Remember that memory that you saw in the Pensive of Barty Crouch?"  
When Harry nodded mutely, the grayed wizard continued. "We are simply going to travel through peoples' memories of Tom; including mine. Are you ready?"  
"Yes."  
"Good, dip your head into the water and we will begin."  
________________________________________  
Harry broke through the gripping water of the Pensive with a loud gasp. "Professor, did you know-"  
"That I was speaking to one of the worst wizards known to man? No I did not."  
"And if you had?"  
Dumbledore gazed morosely out at the darkened landscape; preparing to utter words that would change a naive boy's view of the world. "I would have acted the same."  
"But why-!" Harry shouted, angrily swiping the air with his right hand.  
"Harry," the headmaster silenced him an intense glare. "Do not be a fool. Fate it not something to mess with. Even if I were able to travel back in time and kill Tom while he's young, someone far worse would have risen up to take his place in history. Fate is no fickle thing. If you warp her weavings, someone must pay the piper. The larger the ripple, the greater the cost." He lowered his head; memories of his own experience surfacing. "Never, forget this lesson."  
Taken aback at his mentor's sudden heavy heartedness, Harry just nodded dumbly. "I uh . . . Should go." He all but ran out the room without another word, slowing only when he ran out of breath.  
"Boy, that was weird." The bespectacled boy panted tiredly against the wall. "First the sudden career advice, then sudden visit from this Meredy chick," His vividly green eyes widened abruptly. "Wait a second, don't all the Fairy Tail transfers have that weirdly shaped tattoo? But she didn't . . ." He breathed out in sudden realization. "She had that creepy hat like symbol on her chest instead. Which begs the question, is she actually from Fairy Tail or is she an imposter?"  
________________________________________  
"Gosh I feel ridiculous." Levy wiped at her eyes as she got up from her cramped position in the large pile of books she had collapsed on. "Bawling my eyes out in a dusty library. I am ridiculous. That aside though, I should probably get to dinner." The Bluenette shook her head ruefully when she heard her stomach loudly agree. "Well, best get- ouch!" Levy rubbed her sore forehead that had banged into … something.  
"What did I hit? I can't see a thing in this dim lighting." She attempted to get a closer look at what she had hit when it dawned on her. "Ugh." Levy face palmed-yelping when she hit the developing bruise. "Am I a Mage or am I a nincompoop? I can't believe I forgot about my own magic. I'm so scattered brain." She sighed before sobering up and positioning her fingers in the correct poses.  
"Solid Script: Light!" The blue-haired Mage shouted as loudly as she dared.  
With the soft glow bobbing gently in the air, Levy leaned in closer to get a better look.  
"What the heck?" Her hands came to cover her mouth as she read the title of the book locked in the gigantic case she had banged into. "How on Earthland did this get here?!" She pressed her nose closer to the dusty glass to make sure that what she was seeing was correct.  
The Complete Spells of Magery by -  
Printed X005  
Chapter Ten-  
"How on Earthland did this get here?!" Levy breathed with wonder. "This book is positively ancient! Ooh~!" The short bluenette excitedly hopped around. "I can't wait to read it and learn more about magic!"  
After a few moments of jubilation, Levy finally calmed down enough to think rationally, her features immediately formed into an intense frown. "Though this book is probably filled to the brim with old magicks and spells, that doesn't do me any good if it's stuck inside some enchanted book case." She grew disheartened. "Though," The Script Mage's expression turned thoughtful. "Now that I think about it, I'm sure that someone from the guild could me. But the question is, who?"  
"Natsu?" Levy's eye twitched in horror-images upon horrifying images played out and all of them ended up with the whole library going up in flames. "Why did I even consider him?"  
"Gajeel?" A pang of regret and pain hit her all at once. "No, definitely not him. I doubt if he would even look at me much less help me after what I did." She slapped her both of her cheeks in an attempt to rid her thoughts of their moroseness.  
"How about Erza?" Without a moments' hesitation, her mind thrust the horrendous image of Erza challenging the bookcase to dual and dicing it to smithereens; the book meeting its unfortunate demise at the hands of the mighty Titania, dueler of bookcases. "No, no definitely not!" Levy squeaked in terror for the book.  
"Mira? She might be willing to do it. But . . ." The Bluenette trailed off. "She might also think that this would be a perfect opportunity for matchmaking. Not to mention . . . The fact that if you ask her to do something she will do it to the best of her ability-bless her big heart-but she might take it to an extreme and blow the whole room up by accident. So I think that that is a no."  
"Perhaps Flare?" Levy tapped her lips in thought for a minute actually considering it before sweat-dropping when she remembered that the semi insane redhead also used a variation of fire magic mixed with her hair. "Never mind. I'll just cross that one off my list."  
"I don't Meredy has the right type of power for this job-so automatic no." Levy took out a red inked pen and crossed out her name with a heartfelt sigh. "And I'm not going to even consider Cobra. Knowing that guy, he would insult me seven ways to Sunday and melt the case plus the book just for the heck of it. Honestly," She stretched tiredly. "I don't see why Lu-chan puts up with that jerk. Anyway, I best move on before it gets too much later."  
"Gray?" She mused. "Possibly. But ice . . . Near books. Next? Laxus . . .?" The bluenette slapped hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle the aghast shriek that picture made.  
"So, just to be clear, you do want me to break this case open, right?"  
"Yes . . ." Levy responded with great trepidation. Having this strange niggling feeling that something was going to end poorly.  
"Alrighty then. Since this case is magically protected I won't be holding anything back." Laxus shrugged off his large fur lined coat as he took his stance-inhaling deeply as prepared his magic. "Lightning Dragon's Roar!"  
"Eee! He would electrocute it to cinders! Wendy?" Levy groaned in defeat; dropping her head against the cool glass of the case as her brain-ever so helpfully-supplied the mental image of sweet and gentle Wendy taking either her Sky Drill or Wing Attack to the poor abused bookcase; shattering into tiny little pieces of dust.  
"Who am I kidding? Not even our gentlest member is exempt from our destructive tendencies. Why couldn't we just have someone who is a not destructive and good with picking locks . . . Wait that's it!" She straightened abruptly from her down trodden position when her gaze landed on the one name not crossed out. "Lu-chan has a spirit just like that! Now I really need to find her!" She jumped up and ran as fast as she could towards the Slytherin dormitories.  
________________________________________  
As Laxus strode down the dark, deserted hallway, his face morphed into an even darker glower for every second that his 'partner' for evening was gone. 'Darn it! Where is that thrice darned poison dragon slayer?! He was due to meet me after his History of Magic class! Which ended over ten hours ago! And for that matter, where's Blondie? Shouldn't she be here to relieve me for a few hours?' He paused in his steps. 'Unless something happened to them . . . should I go looking for them?' The youngest Dreyar ran an agitated hand through his styled hair. "No, if they were in trouble, the whole castle would probably feel it. So maybe they're trapped or perhaps they found something of interest." He let out a frustrated growl. "Of all times . . . I'll give them until tomorrow morning to appear. And if they don't,"  
Lightning crackled around his with bright intensity. "I will personally take responsibility and search for them. And if I find that they were merely shirking their duties for fun time," He cracked is knuckles ominously while smirking evilly. "I will them give a punishment that they won't forget any time soon."  
He diabolical thoughts came to an abrupt stop when a familiar scent wafted through the stone hall way, catching his attention immediately as he smelt the distress and frustration mixed in with it.  
"Wait a sec-" His nose twitched, trying to pin point the origin of scent. "That scent is coming from outside. What's he doing out there? Well," He cast a glance down the darkened hallway. "I guess I will have to look for Lazy butt one and Shirker number two later. For now," The Lightning Dragon Slayer turned and headed with a moderate ground eating walk to the moonlit outdoors. "I'll go and see why he smells so messed up."  
________________________________________  
"Achoo!"  
Erik looked over his shoulder in surprise when his golden haired partner violently sneezed once. "Don't die over there Bright Eyes."  
Lucy sniffed balefully at the poison dragon slayer. "I'll try not to."  
Cobra let out a quiet chuckle at her response. "That's the spirit."  
"Oh shut it. Someone was probably just talking about me behind my back."  
"As if someone would talk badly about you." Erik scoffed as he returned his focus to the task at hand.  
"I'm not a saint you know. I have way too many bad sides for that."  
"Trust me," He sent a fanged smirk in her direction. "I know. I lost that opinion of you after having to play guard to you during the clock incident."  
She blinked several times at Cobra's moving back in puzzlement. 'What makes him say that . . .? After my initial lecturing to Midnight and Michelle, I didn't say a word . . . Okay, scratch that, I couldn't say word. That blasted clock held me prisoner and made it impossible for me to speech freely.'  
"Heh." He shook his head while pinning her with one of his bemused looks. "While your mouth may have been sealed shut, your mind, however, was still going strong."  
"Cobra . . ." Lucy began slowly with a niggling feeling beginning to creep across her mind. "What are you saying exactly . . .?"  
Erik stopped holding back his feelings and the let the evil tinged grin spread across his scarred face as he leaned down to purr his words directly into her ear. "On the outside you appear so sweet and ditzy with that golden hair of yours." He lifted a hand to run through her silky tresses gently; sending shivers down her spine-causing Cobra's eye to glint in triumph. "But on the inside . . . There lays a dragoness, poised to strike anyone who raises her ire. And when she is chained, and is unable to do a blessed thing about her situation, do you know what happens . . . ?" He leaned even further in until his lips touched the outer shell of her ear. "She starts swearing worse than a fish monger's wife."  
Body and mind frozen in momentary shock, Lucy finally snapped out of it enough to push the Soul Listening Mage off her before letting out a high pitched "What!"  
"You-you didn't not just compare me to … that!" She exclaimed irately; angered tick marks forming around her as she pointed a shaking finger at the positively maleficent Dragon Slayer.  
"You know, I think that's the same insult that you first mentally deep fried Midnight with. Tut tut Bright Eyes. Such a potty mouth. You should wash your mouth with soap." He crossed his arms-not paying any mind to the scathing glare being tossed his way; relishing the sound of her ire filled soul. "After all, a pretty little debutant like yourself shouldn't be talking that way."  
"Lucy kick!"  
"Nah uh uh." Erik caught her legs in mid sweep-sending her flying into the rubble. "You need to do better than that Bright Eyes."  
"Itai . . ." Lucy rubbed her sore back; grimacing when she felt the tears in her formally pristine uniform. 'Darn it . . . Now I'll have to either get it repaired or break into my spares.' She sighed woe begottenly. 'But who could repair it?'  
"Do you need assistance, Hime?"  
"Ehh?!" Lucy gasped in surprise when her Maid Spirit popped up in front of her. "Virgo?"  
"Terribly sorry for the intrusion Hime." Virgo bowed, her shackles rattling with her movement. "Do you wish punish me for interrupting your date with Cobra-sama?"  
"It's not a date!" They both snapped at the same time.  
Virgo's lips twitched upward as she bowed again-her pink hair falling to cover her sapphire eyes that were dancing with wicked glee. "Of course. Pardon me for assuming such a ridiculous thing."  
The blonde blinked at her Spirit's sudden-and unexpected- apology in surprise. "It's alright Virgo. I'm not angry. So please, stand back up. There is no need to bow."  
"Thank you Hime. You are most gracious."  
Lucy smiled gently at the seemingly guileless maid. "Thanks. I knew that you didn't mean anything by it."  
'As if.' Erik scoffed mentally; glower in full effect. 'That masochistic maid meant every word. She really wants Bright Eyes to have babies badly. It's just creepy how much detail she imagined.' He thought with a shudder before turning contemplative. 'But is that really what my children would look like with Heartfilia? And what I would look like with her?' His eye softened minutely as thoughts of hearing his children's jubilant souls thrilling at the sight of a highly decked out Christmas tree while he sat against the sofa with his blonde wife curled sleepily against his side-who leaned up once to give him a caring peck on the lips while quietly whispering a few words into his pointed ear that made his heart feel light and free as she went back to watching their son and daughter-  
'Twins by the look of it.' He noticed absently as he rubbed circles around her back; he too watching the bundles of joy and sorrow excitedly rip open their presents.  
Abruptly his single orb hardened as reality came crashing down with heart shattering swiftness. 'Ugh.' He curled his fist together with crushing force; making his knuckles to groan in protest. 'What the heck am I thinking? Why would someone like her ever consider even getting involved with me?! Much less have children with a messed up person like myself.' Erik gritted his teeth harshly to try and overcome the intense longing welling up in him as the hauntingly beautiful image of Lucy kissing him softly yet so lovingly filled his mind. 'Darn it Heartfilia! Your spirit just had to think of that!' He hissed. 'Tch. As if that could ever happen. As if it ever would. Humph as if I would even want that to be my future... My kids would probably end up being even more messed up than me!' He thought viscously, his mind subconsciously putting up barriers to stop himself from ever even contemplate that yearning desire to have a family that he had had since the Tower.  
"Ne, Virgo?" The golden haired Celestial Mage questioned after a minute of awkward silence.  
"Hime?" The Spirit blinked, her voice turning hopeful as she asked second question. "Is it punishment time?"  
"No!" The Key Holder shouted before calming herself down and speaking in a softer tone. "No-no punishment this time. Just tell me why you're here." Lucy sweat-dropped awkwardly. 'I really wish that she would quit asking me to punish her every time I see her. If there is one thing that I am certain of, it is that I will never, ever hurt my friends. The only time that I have ever laid a hand on them was that one time Virgo asked after I promised all my spirits that I would give them whatever they wanted in reward for helping with the Eclipse Gate. Next time I give a reward session, I'm making a rule that no torture of any kind is allowed.'  
"Hime, are you alright? Do you require assistance?"  
"Huh?" Lucy flinched, coming back to reality when her closest spirit's nonchalant voice broke through her thoughts. "What was that? I'm sorry I missed that."  
Beside the blonde Cobra snorted in amusement. "Better repeat your statement Masochist. Blondie over here spaced out."  
"I did not!" She snapped back, blushing hotly. "I just got lost in thought is all!"  
He pinned her with a look while simultaneously raising his eyebrow. "Isn't that the same thing?"  
"No it's not!"  
"Really?" Erik drawled out slowly. "'Cause the last time I checked, those two meant the same thing."  
"Then check again!" Lucy retorted, irately marching away from the bemused dragon slayer and her apathetic maid spirit.  
"Hey Bright Eyes?"  
"What?!"  
"You're going the wrong way."  
"Right. I knew that." She muttered as she briskly walked past the shaking Listening Mage.  
"Suure~ you did." He all but purred in fiendish delight-loving the sound of her soul's mortified song. "And don't you dare compare me to that mangy blue cat!"  
Lucy stopped and sent a hair raising smirk in Cobra's direction that immediately made him wary. "Now why would I do that? Even I wouldn't insult Happy that badly."  
With that said, she began to merrily sing an obnoxiously catchy ditty once she had had the last word; Virgo keeping pace with her as Erik scowlingly took up the rear.  
"Hime, might I suggest you sing this song instead? It is much more annoying."  
Behind them, Cobra let out an inaudible groan as belted out lyrics of I'm a Barbie Girl was continually heard.  
'I knew I should have killed her when I had the chance . . .'  
________________________________________  
Gajeel bellowed loudly as he destroyed yet another tree with his Iron Club. 'Darn it!' He growled viciously-dragging his tired and bruised body up for another round of destroying trees and other hard surfaces.  
"Well, looks like the great Kurogane is having a bit of a bad day." Laxus called out mockingly.  
"Hmm?" The Iron Dragon Slayer's red orbs slid irately over to the smug looking Lightning Mage leaning against the tallest standing tree. "Oh, it's you." He spat, already turning away to restart what he was about to begin.  
"Wow. You positively reek of emotions. Want to tell me what eating at you?" Laxus crossed his arms while he waited for Gajeel's response.  
"Leave me alone." Gajeel groused, getting ready to leave the now noisy clearing. "I don't need nor do I want your stupid pity. So shove off Lightning Rod." He moved his way past the silently staring blonde. Bumping into him without thought; his mind in a pained haze and his soul in too much agony to even form a coherent train of thought.  
"This isn't like you man. Want to tell me what's wrong?"  
Gajeel paused in his steps; his shoulders hunched in on themselves. "No. And leave me alone. I'm sick and tired of being around people."  
"Oh? And why's that?" Laxus straightened. 'Finally. We're getting to the heart of matter and I can stop playing shrink. It feels so creepy to act this way. This is Gramp's gig.'  
"Oi. Stop playing shrink. You suck at it." The dark haired loner ran a shaking limb through his coarse black hair with a sigh. "Look man, I know what you're trying to do. And it isn't going to work."  
"Is that so?" The youngest Dreyar examined his guild mate for a moment before coming to a decision. "Since you have no desire to be around people, do think that you could cover for me on patrol? I have to meet the old fart in charge at midnight."  
Gajeel grunted his affirmation. "Midnight eh?" He looked up at the setting moon. "You might want to hurry up then."  
"I know. And thanks for the cover."  
"Yeah no problem. But I thought that Bunny Girl and Snake Boy were supposed to take this shift."  
Laxus's countenance darkened considerably. "They were." He glared at the smashed up rock in front of him. "But they didn't show so I was struck on patrol duty."  
"You'd better get going."  
"Yeah yeah, I know. See ya Kurogane." The scarred blonde took off in a flash of lightning.  
When all traces of the eldest dragon slayer left, Gajeel sat down with a heavy hearted sigh, he looked down at his torn hands with an inscrutable expression. 'Levy . . .'  
________________________________________  
Dumbledore sighed when he heard the clock toll midnight and the 'head master' of Fairy Tail was nowhere to be seen. 'I wonder if something is wrong . . .' He glanced wearily out of the window in thought then squinted his tired blue eyes as he caught sight of a fast approaching yellow shape that grew closer with every second.  
When the sparking object moved closer, the headmaster's orbs widened as the shape hurtled straight into the window, shattering it into pieces. "Protego!" He shouted with his knobbed wand pointed at the now discernible shape standing in the dust and rubble; ready to defend himself if need be. "Identify yourself."  
"Jeez. And here I thought I had a memorable face." Laxus stated sardonically  
Dumbledore's tight grip on his wand loosened slightly as he placed the sarcastic voice to a face when the dust cleared. 'But just to be sure . . .' Albus trailed off as he began to speak aloud. "Tell me, what were the first words that you spoke to me?"  
Laxus snorted disparagingly as he crossed his arms; glowering down at the stoic headmaster in front of him. "I said it then and I'll say it again, touch my family and you will die. I will not let anything or anyone split us apart again."  
'Well, not exactly the exact wording but it's still scarily alike.' The gray haired Wizard repaired the destroyed wall and window without thought; lowering his wand till it rested comfortably at his side. "Thank you."  
"Mind telling me why you felt the need to interrogate me upon landing?" The Lightning Mage questioned, his slate green eyes hard as they flickered from the old man's still tensed posture to the pulse rapidly fluttering in his wrinkled throat.  
"I wished to be certain that I was not talking to an imposter. And an imposter would not know the answer to that question unless it came from one of the Fairy Tail Mages."  
"I must say, you wizards are a strange lot. Instead of asking dumb, easy fabricated questions, why don't you just search their magical signature?"  
Dumbledore looked at the lightning scarred Mage in curiosity for a few moment before asking in a puzzled tone, "Magical signature? What is that?"  
Laxus blinked in shock as he fully registered that wizards had no freaking clue about one of simplest concepts of magic out there. "Wait, you mean to tell me that Wizards don't know how to sense magic? It's so simple!"  
"Perhaps to you lad. But to us, it is a foreign concept unheard of in our world." Albus explained gently to him. "I assume by your tone that this ability is rather common in your world, is it not?" When the Dragon Slayer nodded, the Headmaster hummed thoughtfully while stroking his long greyed beard in thought. "How fascinating. Explain to me if you would, how one could possibly tell someone apart from a fake if you would be so kind."  
"Okay." Laxus blinked slowly again as he processed this unexpected question and tried to gather his thoughts and remember all the ways a person could tell if someone was a fraud. "Well there are around three ways that I know of that you could do that. The first would be by feeling their magical energy which would immediately tell you if they were are a fake or not; though with that one you have to make sure that you know what the person's aura feels like-which is why I usually use an easier method, for me at least." He shrugged.  
Dumbledore peered through his half-moon glasses at the youngest Dreyar. "And what method would that be? If you don't mind me asking." The Wizard asked amicably.  
Laxus ruffled his hair tiredly as exhaustion set in. "Instead of going through all the hassle of subtly checking out their magical signature I just smell them and see if they're the right person or not. While people may lie, scents never do. Which is why I personally think that that option is the best honestly." He moved his shoulders non-chalantly as he leaned his lightly stubble chin in his hand against the desk as he watched the mixed expressions playing across the headmaster's face while internally sighing. 'Well darn. I guess I probably shouldn't have mentioned that.'  
Albus struggled for words while his emotions orbited between dumbstruck and wanting to laugh and say, "That was a good joke. I haven't heard that one before. Now tell me the truth." As the words 'smell them' kept revolving around in his mind. Finally, after several lengthy minutes of stunned silence, he finally cleared his throat and got the part stunned and half bemused words out of his mouth. "Erhm . . . Did you just say, 'Smell them'?"  
Laxus suddenly felt like banging his head against the desk and groaning. 'I should have just kept my big mouth shut. Well, I guess that's what I get for trying to converse logically while on less than four hours of sleep for more than forty-eight hours.'  
"Nope, you heard correctly old man. I did say that I smelled them." He exhaled heavily, keeping his eyes at half-mast while he regarded the gobsmacked elder sitting in front of him. "As I am sure you have heard, Mages' powers are vastly different from your 'wizarding powers'." Laxus began, glancing upward to check and see if he was actually listening and not stuck in a stupor. When he realized that the Headmaster was leaning forward to try and hear him better, did he begin again. "From what I've noticed, all of our powers, no matter what, differ from yours. Among our ranks in Fiore, we have certain number of people who could be dubbed Dragon Slayers. Seven inside the whole nation."  
"Only seven? Why so few?"  
"Yes. And reason is because there are so few dragons left in our world. Not mention, Dragon Slaying is considered a lost magic in our world."  
By this point, Dumbledore's eyes were as wide saucers as he stood up abruptly and slammed his furrowed palms against the hard wood surface of his desk in alarm. "You have dragon slayers?! If so we must warn them immediately that they cannot, under any circumstance, go hunting dragons! Or talk about destroying them!"  
"And why do you say that?" Laxus gave the elderly wizard a bemused look that he could not interpret.  
"Because if the Ministry should find out, they would lock them up before they could say Quidditch!"  
"Heh." The Lightning Mage chortled. "As if they would do that."  
"With all due respect Mister Dreyar, but this is no laughing matter. They could even face a death penalty for attempting to destroy a dragon." Albus implored sternly.  
Laxus waved his hand as he tried to gather his amused emotions under control. "Sorry . . . I just couldn't help it. That bunch wouldn't hurt a dragon unless it tried to kill them or their friends first. Heck, the one time we had fight dragons in an all out war, Natsu ended up befriending one and rode him into battle against the evil mastermind in charge of the hoard."  
"Wait, Mister Dragneel is a dragon slayer? And he befriended one?"  
'Foot in mouth.' The Blonde thought dully, actually banging his head against the nearest heard surface- which happened to be the large mahogany table laying innocuously in front of him. 'And this is why I don't usually ever talk extensively to people with less than four hours of sleep. Why the heck did I let that pink haired shipping freak ever talk me into this? That right.' He remembered with a groan. 'She did the proverbial puppy dog eyes. What is it with woman being able to do that on the fly?'  
"Mister Dreyar?" Dumbledore inquired evenly, peering through his half-moon glasses at the blonde with evident curiosity. "Are you quite alright?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine." He muttered resignedly as he raised his head from its place on the desk. 'Guess the cat's out of the bag now.' "And yes, Natsu is one of the dragon slayers I was talking about."  
"And he befriended a dragon? How peculiar. He must really have a way with animals to accomplish a feat like that."  
Laxus chuckled tiredly as he leaned back in his plush chair; enjoying for the first time just how soft it was. "It's not just animals geezer. That's Natsu for ya. Always accomplishing the impossible. Though in reality," He brushed a few fingers against his bristly chin in contemplation. "Flame Brain's always had a way people and animals alike. I guess it's because of his personality. Always forgiving and loving when he should be hating and fighting someone." The scarred mage smiled softly for second as memories of his experience with that side of Natsu resurfaced.  
Gazing at the young leader in aged wisdom, Albus walked over and laid his unblemished hand on the youth's shoulder. "I see. If will, let me share something with you that I have learned during some of my many years of living." He started while watching the stars twinkle merrily in sky through the repaired window. Purposely not looking down into the surprised eyes of the young man. "One of the most crucial points that I learned through the hundred plus years that I have been alive, is that taking your foolhardy mistakes and learning from them. And if they are truly regretful over their mistakes, they will strive to live and protect those that they hurt. Which is what I believe our young friend Mister Dragneel has always seen in you. And still continues too."  
"Thanks Geezer." Laxus said roughly; fighting the suspicious the prickling sensation in eyes. 'Take my mistakes and become more powerful from them eh? I'll try. I have a feeling that's something Gramps would say too.'  
"Anytime my boy, anytime." Dumbledore patted him gently on the shoulder a couple of times before going back to his comfy chair and plopping himself down on it with a contented sigh.  
Laxus bit back the retort that he was not a boy and muttered a gruff thank you as he went back to silently watching the headmaster smile good-naturedly at him. 'Why do I feel that this guy is the nicer, more refined, dress wearing version of his grandfather?'  
"So my boy, do you want to get back to the matter at hand of why came here? Or perhaps go to bed like any normal person?" Albus steepled his fingers as continued smile nicely at the Lightning Mage while awaited his reply.  
Laxus scratched the back of his head wearily. "Let's just get this over with old man." He stifled the yawn that wanted escape him.  
"Alright." Dumbledore inclined his head to the exhausted blonde. "You go first. Tell me what you wished to speak to me about."  
"Okay. First off, unless you want a destroyed castle, people used as forced training dummies where they will either be: burned to a crisp by a pyromaniac, strangled by hair that's on fire, poisoned by a polite but incredibly sadistic maniac or have sound continuously rebounded back at them by that same person, used as a she-devil's training partner-"  
He shuddered at that one; suddenly remembering the time he had been picked- and no one ever says no to Mirajane Strauss when she is like that. "-electrocuted, turned into a popsicle by the stripper, emotionally tortured or forced to watch her ship people with enthusiastic glee, used as moving targets while having all sorts painful metal contraptions flying at you, having to face a scary, pent up blonde; a crabby blue haired bookworm whose work has been interrupted because of all the racket and will pelt everyone with enchanted books till they stop; treating seriously maimed people with sword or other various types of weapons injuries by She Who Knows No Mercy, you might want to find a place for us to train and let loose in. I thought about the woods but then it occurred to me that you might not want the whole forest demolished. Seeing as it might attract unwanted attention." Laxus stated bluntly- not caring at all by this point if the headmaster thought of them of violent psychopaths, the only desire that he had was to dive into his beckoning bed and just stay there for several days on end. Sadly, he had to get this dratted meeting done with first.  
Albus felt his glasses slide down his face in shock while beads of sweat began to travel down his forehead as his sky blue eyes widened so much as to rival the saucer underneath his teacup. 'Destroy Hogwarts?! And use people as training dummies? And his only concern towards the Forbidden Forest was that it would draw attention to them if they were to destroy it? What kind of monsters have I let in my school?'  
"Look," Laxus shot him a scathing glance as he smelled the fear laced emotions practically rolling off the old wizard in droves. "I don't care if you think we're monsters; I just want to find a place for us to train so that we don't become rusty. The bad guys won't wait for us to get back in shape while they're trying to kill us. So, if you would be so kind, please just tell me if you know of a good place or not so that I can go to bed and get some much needed sleep so that I finally function without the aid of coffee." 'And then go find out why Blondie and Cobra were so late in coming.'  
Dumbledore's eyes widened even further after the youngest Dreyar's statement. 'How did he know . . .? Is he like that serpentine man who could seemingly read minds? That is something that I will have to figure out myself. Seeing as getting answers out of this lot is like ordering a dragon to sit on command.'  
Stilling his rampant thoughts, Albus took a deep breath and thought of the perfect place that the Fairy Tail mages could train. "Actually, I do have a place in mind. Would you like to see it?"  
"I would appreciate that very much." He stood up abruptly, his furred cloak flaring with the movement as he gestured with his arm. "Lead the way."  
________________________________________  
"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world  
Life in plastic, it's fantastic.  
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere.  
Imagination, life is your creation."  
'That's it. I'm in purgatory.' Cobra shuddered as another round of painful lyrics filled the area. 'I officially detest that masochistic, pink haired maid. If she hadn't butted in and suggested … that …' His lip curled in distaste at the very thought of the . . . song. 'Horrendous thing people call a song, I wouldn't have had to listen to those mindless lyrics over and over again!' He fumed internally. 'Though I've gotta say, at least Bright Eyes doesn't sound like a dying duck…' Erik felt suddenly relieved as he remembered all the times he had heard people singing dedicated songs that sounded down right painful to his ears as they attempted to sing louder to compensate not being able to hit the high notes.  
"The archbishop gave me this song . . ." A lady's voice ghosted across his memories.  
Leading him to snort and remember his response to it. "Humph. Well maybe you should give it back!"  
'Heh,' Erik stopped a smirk from spreading across his face. 'Those were the good ole days. Where I could do whatever I wanted. Too bad they couldn't have lasted longer.'  
*Bonk*  
"Eek! Cobra!" Lucy yelped when her brooding partner in crime rammed into her; making teeter precariously to the side.  
"Huh?" Erik felt his eye widen in shockwhile his arms automatically reached out to stabilize her. 'I ran into her? How come I didn't hear her come to a stop? Was I that lost in thought? Or was it because I let my guard down-' Abruptly he shook his head, a snarl forming. 'No, I did no such thing! I would never do such an idiotic move!'  
Breaking out of his shock induced stupor to try and divert his amok musings, he sighed as he ran a flustered hand through his unruly maroon locks. "Sorry Bright Eyes. I was lost in thought."  
Lucy stilled in surprise when she heard Cobra's apology her eyes widening. 'Did he just say he was sorry?'  
"You know Bright-Heartfilia," Erik corrected himself. Trying put the vivacious blonde at arm's length. "It is proper etiquette to apologize when you almost ran someone down."  
"I know. It's just that you surprised me is all."  
Cobra cast a baleful glare at her. "Did you not think that I capable of apologizing since I was once criminal?"  
"Actually, hate to break it to you, but you still are a criminal." The Key Holder dryly pointed out.  
The Poison Dragon Slayer waved a free hand through the air. "Semantics Heartfilia, Semantics."  
"Right . . ."  
Erik tightened his grip on the Blonde as he leaned down to get an answer to his question; making sure that could not wiggle her way out of his hold or his question as he breathed on her neck. "You know, you didn't answer my question. Is it that you thought me incapable, or, perhaps you just thought that I just couldn't care less?" He brushed his nose against the shell of her ear; his eye closing in bliss as he breathed in the sweet scent of lavender and vanilla that was rolling off her in droves as her heartrate sped up at the close contact. "Well, what is it Heartfilia?" He growled.  
Lucy shivered as she fought the urge to kick the Soul Listening Mage where it hurts and get the heck out of dodge before he poisoned her or came up with some diabolical scheme to get her back for singing one of the most annoying songs that she had ever heard in all of her years. 'Eee! Cobra is touching me! He never does that! As far as I know, he loathes being touched! Everyone in his guild says that if he touches you on purpose, you're a goner and you are about to suffer a painful demise at his hands!'  
"Now now, Heartfillia . . ." He chuckled darkly, smirking darkly at every shiver that crawled down her spine. "The revenge for that is yet to come. And trust me, it will be sweet; for me that is."  
"Excuse me Hime," Both Cobra and Lucy's eyes swung over to the previously forgotten maid. "I hate to interrupt but I felt that I should inform you that your uniform is getting ruined. Would you like me to take it back to the Celestial Spirit World with me and repair it?"  
Lucy gasped in surprised horror- leaving Cobra's now loose grip to twist around and look at her disheveled outfit. "I completely forgot!" She exclaimed. "Thanks Virgo! You're life saver!"  
Virgo's emotionless azure orbs seemed to twinkle at the gratitude of her master. "You are most welcome Hime. If would strip and give me your clothes, I will take them back with me posthaste."  
"Ehh?" The Key Holder blushed madly as she backed up into her wide eyed partner. "Str-strip? Right here? In front of Cobra? Without a change of clothes?" Her arms came to wrap around her chest subconsciously.  
The maid just blinked. "Yes. I am quite sure time that Cobra-sama has seen you naked several times."  
"What?!" Lucy shrieked, whirling around to face the somewhat sheepish looking Poison Dragon Slayer. "You have? When?! Fess up mister!" She jabbed an irate finger into his chest.  
Erik grabbed the offending appendage and held onto it before it could jab him again-glowering heavily at the angered blonde. "It's not like I looked on purpose!" He snapped back. "It was kind of hard to miss a blonde haired woman flying naked through air, screaming bloody murder at a dragon for magically stripping her of all clothes!"  
"You- you saw that?" She stammered awkwardly; her face redder than Erza's scarlet hair. "What about the other time that Virgo was talking about?"  
Cobra released her wrist with a sigh, internally cursing the pink haired maid with every curse he knew while stepping back to put some distance between the volatile blonde and to rub a tired hand across his face. "Are you sure you want to know Heartfillia?"  
"Yes! Just tell me already!"  
"Fine, I'll give you a clue. The bathes."  
"The . . . Bathes?" Lucy tilted her head in puzzlement. Then it dawned on her. "That's it, you pervert!" She grasped her lion shaped Zodiac Key without a second thought. "Star Dress Form: Loke!"  
With a flash of blinding golden light, Lucy emerged with a furious expression; the black zodiac symbol for Leo appearing on her chest, An ornate sable and vermillion ball gown with a thigh high split taking the place of her torn uniform; her fists lighting up with the brilliance of Regulus as she lunged for the shocked Slayer. "Now take your punishment like a man!"  
Erik dodged as quickly as he could, trying to summon the words that would assuage the raging Celestial Mage. 'Darn it! Has Heartfillia always been this fast? Or strong?' He questioned when one of her glowing blows hit him, throwing him back several feet.  
He caught himself mid-air and glanced down at his sizzling shirt in surprise. 'Do those Star Dress Forms of hers really give that much of a power boost? If so,' The Soul Listening Mage straightened himself as he prepared his first magic a slight amount of hesitance. 'Then I should put the brakes on her before she does some serious harm to me and I hurt her.'  
"Sound wave!" He shouted, extending one of his hands to catch to fist aiming for his head and the other blocking the black spiked heel aiming for his stomach.  
"Nngh!" She gasped as waves upon waves of sound assaulted her body and pushed her roughly into the ground.  
"Are you ready to calm down now? Or do I need to keep going?" He rasped as he approached her quietly; stopping when he came within a foot of her.  
Lucy placed her hands underneath her body and raised her magical aura to combat his overwhelming power as she slowly but surely began rise upward. When she was finally able to stand, she met his wide amethyst eye that surveyed her with shock as she began to speak. "Fine. I'll give you once chance to tell why I shouldn't blast you into next week."  
'She broke free. That was something not even Titania could do. Is it because she is a Celestial Mage and she is used to outputting such a high amount of power?' Erik wondered dazedly.  
"Well? I'm waiting." The Key Holder narrowed her eyes menacingly at the former Dark Mage.  
"You know, patience is a virtue Heartfilia."  
"Not in the mood Cobra." Lucy warned, giving off a sinister aura and look that would have the Natsu and Gray cowering in freight. Sadly for her, however, it did not work on Cobra.  
"Ohh~ I'm shaking in my boots Blondie."  
"Cobra. Remind me again why I am not kicking your sorry self into oblivion." She growled.  
"Maybe because I'm such a nice guy?" He raised his hands in mock surrender when she growled again. "All right. All right. I'm getting to it." Erik closed his single orb while pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to buy time in order to collect his thoughts before speaking to avoid putting his proverbial foot in his mouth. "When I said think about bathes, you misunderstood stood me." He opened his eye and met her shuttered gaze. "What I meant was, I can hear everything that goes on."  
"Hear . . . Everything?" Lucy began to turn red as she suddenly recalled all the perverse girl talk that went on during those communal bathes at the guild.  
He pinned her with a knowing a look. "Exactly Heartfilia."  
"But how does that equate to seeing me naked?"  
Cobra dropped his head into his with a groan. "Do I really have to spell it out? Apparently I do." He muttered when she continued to stare blankly at him; not understanding what he was trying elude to.  
With a heaving sigh he continued; staring blankly at the tunnel wall. "Let me put it in simple terms. I don't just hear souls, I can see and feel everything that has gone on or is going on."  
Lucy's jaw worked up and down for a few seconds as she tried to formulate a reply through the horrified haze wanting to consume her entire being and just drown in misery. "So-" She cleared her throat. "So every time-"  
"That every girl in Fairy Tail decided to take a bath when I was within range- 'Which was too often for my taste.' "I would be privy to every conversation that the esteemed ladies of Fairy Tail would hold. And-" He shot her an intense look.  
'Why- why is he looking at me like that?' Lucy shivered at the heated look in his eye.  
"Whenever that lecherous Card Mage would grope you, I would get a front row seat to that."  
"How much did you see?" Lucy questioned while staring resolutely at the floor as she bit her lip harshly.  
Cobra moved forward and caught her delicate chin with two finger and made her meet his single violet eye as he rasped the words that made her want to sink down and become invisible. "Everything Heartfilia. Every sound, every stray touch, every sight. I saw it all."  
"All?" She squeaked.  
"Yes." Erik released her chin after giving staring at her with an inscrutable expression on his face and backing away; eventually turning around to face the wall and adopting his poison scales. "Get changed Heartfilia. Your Maid has a change of clothes ready for you. While you are doing that, I will take care of this rock pile in our path"  
________________________________________  
Dark, but soft feminine laughter filled the menacing, stormy forest; startling the silver haired Mirajane Strauss from her restful state. "I see that you have answered my summons, Mirajane Strauss."  
"Who is there?! Show yourself!" Mira shouted, immediately falling into a defensive stance.  
"Don't you recognize me?" The voice asked coyly, finally becoming visible at last. "And here I went to all the effort of summoning you, and yet you greet me with such hostility."  
"Seilah." The Takeover Mage stilled in surprise as she took in the tall, symbol marked demoness with the two curved horns jutting out from her head, and the short, dark gray blue leopard print kimono accessorized with thigh high tights that covered her heels. "What are you doing here?"  
Laughter rang out again-this time with a bitterly mocking sound to it. "Here? I am imprisoned here Mirajane Strauss. This-" Seilah waved a graceful hand at her surroundings. "-Is my prison in which you saw fit to place me in."  
"Prison?" Mira tilted her head to side. "Where are we?"  
"You don't know?" The Demoness questioned contemptuously. "It's your own soul, yet you do not know where you are? How inept of you."  
Mira swept her gaze around- taking in the heavily forested land that was lit by a full moon which was partially eclipsed by dark storm clouds that were illuminated every so often by a strike of silvery lightning. 'My inner world. Or my soul.' "Pardon me." The eldest Strauss sibling closed her eyes- breathing in deeply before exhaling slowly and opening her sapphire hued orbs. "I was disconcerted with this sudden change. I now recognize where I am." She stated coolly. "As for this being your prison, if I had not absorbed you, you would have been killed. While I understand why you are upset, there is no need to be so angry at me. After all, we're friends. So let's not fight, alright?"  
Seilah looked sharply to side and away from her 'Master's' proffered palm.  
"Aww . . ." Mira pouted cutely. "Don't be that way."  
When the former Etherious did not offer any response other than turning up her nose further in the air, the silver haired beauty tapped her fingers against her lips; trying to think of a way to appease the upset soul. "Tell you what, for the next few fights that occur, I'll use your form and let you get some fresh air. Does that sound alright to you?"  
Seilah gazed at Mira in shock- her formerly haughty expression melting into one of hope. "You would do that for me?"  
"Yep!" Mira beamed. "That's what friends do for each other."  
"Humph." The dark haired Demoness stuck her nose in the air. "This doesn't mean we're friends."  
"Whatever you say silly."  
After what seemed for minutes of comfortable silence, Mira finally broke it as a few of Seilah's words came back to her. "Ne, Seilah, what did you mean when you said, 'Summon me here'?"  
"Oh, that." Seilah turned her gaze back to the lightning strewn sky. "It is about your surroundings."  
"My surroundings? Do you mean Hogwarts?"  
"Yes. Be on guard."  
"For what?"  
"I . . . Do not know." Seilah said after pause; loathing to admit that she did not know something. "But it is sinister indeed. Even right now it grows closer. Something ominous is coming this way. The land cries for the blood about to be shed-the lives extinguished." She touched the shadowy bark of a tree as she inhaled the soothing cedar scent.. "And when they come, they will come hard; scourging everything in their path- including those who offer no opposition. They will show no mercy. I find it ironic. I of all people are concerned about lowly humans. Me, the Goddess of the Chill Moon, once of the Nine Demon Gates- and now some lowly Takeover Spell. How low the great have fallen."  
"You have not fallen."  
"What?" Seilah narrowed her dark orbs at her mistress.  
"I said, you have not fallen; only grown." Mira smiled knowingly. "It is not a weakness to express concern about those weaker than yourself. In fact, it show you just how much you have grown in power. I am proud of you Seilah."  
"Leave." The Demoness uttered forebodingly; slashing her arms through the air. "And go back to your world. I do not wish to hear any more of your inane human theologies."  
Mira awoke with a start- jolting upward with a loud gasp.  
"Mira, are you alright?" Erza asked in concern; her mostly asleep body ready to leap forward in an instant to attack if need be.  
"Yes, I am fine." She whispered while focusing on controlling her erratic breathing so that Erza would go back to sleep.  
"Okay." The Re-quip User instantly went back to sleep when nothing alarming happened after her rival/friend told her she was alright.  
'Oh Erza. You really are something else.' Mira thought gently. 'Always ready to put your life on the line for others. But . . . What Seilah told me still worries me. I think that I should go outside and feel the air.' Getting up, the Take-over Mage walked across the cool stone tiles and opened one of the large tower windows and climbed up onto the steeped roof- pausing to just enjoy the temperate weather and zephyrs dancing around her.  
'Ah . . .' She sighed, loving the feel of the wind gently brushing her hair back. 'I love it when the weather is like this. So peaceful. But it is probably just the calm before the storm.'  
"Satan Soul: Halphas." Mira breathed softly while keeping a tight control over her magical output so that she did not wake up her friends with her sudden power surge.  
Without looking down, the silver haired Mage walked calmly into sky and let herself fall into the dreamy nothingness of the sky; bringing out her feathery metal wings when she got within two hundred feet of the ground- floating angelically downward the rest of the way. Her metal shod feet nary making a sound when they touched the ground delicately. "How beautiful . . ." Mira whispered in awe as she took the gleaming lake along with all the graceful willows swaying gently in the breeze.  
With a soft smile on her ruby lips, she walked over to one of the willows and placed her hand against the smooth bark as she concentrated on the land around her- the tree acting as her anchor to the land.  
'Now then, it is time to get to the heart of the matter.' She closed her eyes and searched. 'Found it!' Her lids snapped open when she felt the barely noticeable aura of darkness hovering many miles north of the castle. 'And there's one, almost indistinguishable evil presence to the south . . .' Mira's brow crinkled in the effort of maintaining such a huge spell for that extensive of a time. 'It is so large yet it is hidden so well. A worthy foe. But a dangerous one. One to be wary of for sure.'  
'Wait!' She dug her nails into the bark as yet another presence flared up weakly in response to her careful scrutiny. 'There is one more. It's weak but it's there. It feels like it's clinging on to life by a hairsbreadth. Yet it feels so tainted but familiar. Where have I encountered such a power before? I must inform everyone of this news as soon as possible.'  
________________________________________  
"Gosh! How did it get so late?!" Levy gasped when she rounded the corner and saw the darkened outdoors through one of high arching windows that ran through the long corridor. "It has to be around midnight for it to be that dark."  
"Was I really in the library that long?" She wondered aloud as she continued to travel downward to where she believed the Slytherin common room to be. "If so, will Lu-chan still be up?"  
"Ooh~ what is this? A little Fairy out of bed at this hour~? What wills Peeves do? Shall he tattle on the wee little Pixie or should Peeves let her go? The decision is so hard. Peeves think he'll let the teensy wittle Sprite decide." Peeves cackled jocularly while he dodged in and out of Levy's sight.  
"Stop running like a coward and show yourself." The Bluenette ordered, her fingers already preparing to draw a defensive script.  
"Ooh~ She is a gutsy one she is! Ordering Peevsie around like she is the Bloody Baron."  
"Alright." Levy inhaled deeply to control her temper with the mystery joker. "I'll ask you nicely this time; Please Peeves-san show yourself and stand still for more than five minutes so that we can actually converse like civil human beings."  
"Hmm . . ." The Poltergeist hoovered in mid-air in deep thought. "Let me think about that . . . No!" He crowed madly again. "Peeves likes tormenting you too much for that." The Jokester began to dash around, only to freeze suddenly when glowing purple chains wrapped around his body and held him still. "What have you done, you silly girl! Release me this instance!" He struggled violently against the burning shackles chafing against his wispy colored form.  
Levy straightened from her stance. "I simply put you in cursed spirit chains. Don't worry, as soon as our conversation is over, they will disappear."  
Peeves growled insults under his breath as he grudgingly stopped pulling at the chains and listened to the brat had to say. "Fine. What do you want?"  
The Bluenette held up two fingers.  
"Only two favors? Alright. Let's hear 'em. Who do you want me to torment?" He glowered at her.  
'Torment?' She sweat-dropped. 'Not quite what I was going to ask him. But . . . it might be handy having a pair of eyes that can go through walls.'  
"Well? Are you just going to gawk all night or are you going to tell me what you want?" His whiney voice broke Levy's thought process.  
"I'm sorry. I got lost in thought." Levy smiled easily, catching the Poltergeist off guard with her truthfulness. "But I'll get back to why I trapped you."  
Peeves harrumphed. "I'm waiting."  
'Is he blushing?' She coughed into her fist so that the spirit would not think she was laughing at him. "Ehem. Originally I only had two things to ask of you, but you gave me an idea so if you don't mind, I'll ask three boons of you."  
"I'm still waiting."  
"Okay. My first is relatively simple; do you know how to get to the Slytherin dorm?"  
Peeves burst out chortling. "Why would the wee Fairy want to go the Snakies? She might get eaten!"  
"I need to speak to Lu-chan about something. Besides, I can fight. So can you show me or not?" Levy stomped her foot in irritation. 'Why does everyone think that I'm some shrinking violet?'  
"I can show you the way right now if you release me." He stated slyly, his clownish joker costume jingling when he shifted in the smoldering chains.  
"Not until after you promise to do the other three tasks."  
'Darn.' Peeves scowled. 'And here I thought that she would fall for it. Other students have.'  
"My second task is for you to keep silent about anything that you may see or hear about everyone who is here with Fairy Tail."  
"Fine. I won't say a word. You have my promise."  
"And I have your word that you will not write it out?"  
The Poltergeist glowered irately at the petite Script Mage. "Fine." He snapped, still seeing a way out of it.  
"Indirectly or directly?"  
The Jokester snarled when all his options got scratched out. "Fine! Just get onto your blasted third point already!"  
Levy smirked in victory. 'And he thought for a second that he had outsmarted me. Ha! That ought to show you!' "And lastly, be an extra pair of eyes and ears for Fairy Tail."  
"You want me to be a scout?!"  
"Yes. And I want you to avoid pranking us."  
"Why?" Peeves narrowed his eyes at her.  
"Because the Headmaster asked us to protect Hogwarts. And I want you to help us."  
"Protect this place, eh?" He thought about it. ". . . Fine, I'll do it. On one condition."  
"What condition?"  
The Prankster grinned evilly. "The stipulation that one of your members has to help me prank the Hogwarts students." 'Hah. That will give your school a bad reputation.'  
"Once a week." Levy bartered.  
"Huh?"  
"I said, one Fairy Tail member has to help you once a week."  
"No! Always!"  
"Fine then." She waved her hand, starting to walk away. "You can stay like this forever."  
"Alright! Once a week you Witch!"  
"Okay then." The Bluenette turned around with a smirk. "Then I have just the one in mind. Meet me in the owlery tomorrow evening."  
"Will do. Will you release me now?"  
"After you give me your solemn vow that you will what I have asked of you."  
"Fine. I, Peeves, the Almighty Poltergeist of Hogwarts, solemnly swear that I will take you to the Slytherin dorms in the safest, and fastest way possible; keep silent about any and all affairs that may occur about Fairy Tail; and help Fairy Tail in any way possible."  
"Thank you." The Ex-council Woman nullified the chains. "Now if you would be so kind as to take me to Slytherin, you can go on your way."  
"This way, my fair lady." The Jester proffered his cap 'n bells to her as he bowed mockingly. "I shall lead you to your destination."  
________________________________________  
"Poison Dragon's Roar!"  
"Hime, I suggest that you get back. Those vapors can be quite toxic." Virgo suggested ever so helpfully. "And if I may say, that outfit fit looks stunning on you. I think that Nii-sama would cry."  
'I'm sure he would cry. Tears of joy.' Lucy's eyebrow twitched as she moved out of the way- just to be sure that any stray specks of poison would not hit her. "Thanks for bringing me this to me Virgo. Though I've got to ask, why did you bring this one to me again?" She questioned, looking down at the formfitting, backless violet 'dress' that her faithful Maid Spirit had brought to her during the Dragon Invasion. 'Though I've got to say, I do love the black and gold boot tights. And the hair accessories too.'  
"I thought that you might want something skin tight since you would be moving around so much. Are you displeased?"  
"No." The Blonde shook her head. "I'm quite happy that you picked this one. It's easy to move in." 'And that's probably because there's barely any restricting fabric.'  
"Heartfillia. If you're done talking to your maid about fashion, let's get moving. I've cleared a path for us." Erik interjected before anyone could start talking again.  
"Oh," Lucy blinked at the abrupt tone that Cobra had donned. "Thank you."  
"Hime, if you have no other need of me, I will return to my world with your uniform."  
"That's fine. Thanks for the help Virgo."  
"Anytime Hime." The Celestial Spirit bowed as she faded away, a devious smirk on her face. 'Nii-sama will be pleased to hear that Hime used his form to punish Cobra-sama.'  
Lucy looked in puzzlement at her friend's back as he continued to walk stiffly with his back to her. 'What's wrong with him? Is he alright? Did he hear something that alarmed him?'  
"It's nothing Heartfilia."  
"No it's not! Obviously something is bothering you! So please, tell me what's wrong." She pleaded softly with him; not liking one of her friends being in any possible distress.  
'Ah.' Erik closed his eye as the sad melody of the Celestial Mage's soul washed over him in concern. 'Ever the caring the one.' "Why do you care so much?"  
"Nani?" The benevolent Blonde tilted her head to the side in the question. "What was that? I couldn't hear you."  
Cobra shook his head in self-disgust. 'I'm a fool.' "Forget it. It was nothing important."  
"That's enough Cobra!" Lucy tugged on the burgundy haired Slayer's jacket in an effort to stop him- growing irate when he continued to pull her along with him.  
When he refused to stop after minutes of drug behind him, the Key Holder finally wrapped her arms around his torso, dropping her head against his upper back. "Cobra please." She pleaded softly. "Tell me what's bothering you."  
"Let go." He growled in warning- his instincts going haywire at the contact.  
"No." Lucy tightened her grip. "Not until you share what's been eating at you."  
Minute after minute, Erik slowly began to relax as her soothing lavender and vanilla scent filled his lungs. 'She's so comforting.' "It was something that the Masochist thought of." He finally admitted with lethargy coating his every word.  
"Cobra?" Lucy raised her head sleepily, her mind having gone drowsy at the comforting feeling of Cobra's warmer than average body temperature and the fact that she could smell his sandalwood and pine scent this close. 'He smells so nice.'  
'I smell nice . . .?' He thought questioningly.  
"What did Virgo think about that bothered you?"  
"It was just a future that she envisioned."  
"Oh." Lucy picked up on the 'please don't ask anymore' cue. "I see. Is there anything that I can do?"  
"Yeah. You can stop rubbing your chest against my back and get back to exploring."  
"Ehh?" She immediately loosened her arms and realized, that she had, in fact, been hugging him that way. "I'm sorry Cobra." Lucy rubbed the back of her head sheepishly while she looked steadily at the ground as a crimson blush spread across her face. 'How does this keep happening to me?'  
"I don't know Blondie. But-" He grinned crookedly. "There is no need apologize."  
'Now why do I feel like he is thinking something dirty?'  
________________________________________  
"Carla, you're awake!" Wendy gasped joyfully as she jumped out of her chair and over to the red cushioned couch where her Exceed partner had been resting for more than nine hours straight.  
"Child!" Carla teared up. "You are alright."  
"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"  
"Forgive me Child. I am still recovering."  
"It's alright. I'm sorry to ask this, but do you think that you could tell me what happened to you? Happy and Lily said that you started having seizures. But beyond that, they could speculate."  
The White Cat flicked her ears in an attempt to listen and see if her annoying blue friend was close by. "Where is the Tomcat?" She asked questioningly when her sensitive ears could pick up his voice.  
"He's asleep with Natsu and Lily." The Bluenette answered promptly.  
"Where am I again?" Carla placed a dainty paw against her temples to stave off the flashes of images.  
"Gryffindor Tower within Hogwarts." Wendy said quietly.  
"I see." Then the Exceed remembered an earlier statement that her charge had said. "Wait, you said that the Tomcat and Pantherlily told you what partially what happened. Could you expound upon that comment?"  
"Of course." The Sky Maiden drew in a deep lungful of air. "Once Happy woke up-"  
"Wait, the Blue Cat was unconscious? How?" Carla interrupted.  
"Maybe it's best if I start from the beginning."  
"Please do Child."  
"Alright, here I go." Wendy dove back into her memory of when Happy woke from his exhaustion induced slumber several hours ago.  
________________________________________  
". . . Carla . . ." Happy moaned as he became blearily aware of his cozy environment.  
"Wendy, he's waking up!" Pantherlily's deep voice brushed against the blue Exceed's hearing.  
"Happy, can you hear me?" Wendy leaned over his face.  
"Little buddy, are you alright?"  
"Yes . . ."  
"Oh that's a relief to hear." The Sky Dragon Slayer wiped away some sweat. "I'm glad that at least one of you woke up. Now Natsu can stop wearing a hole in the floor of the common room."  
"I wasn't that bad!"  
"Natsu …" Happy's wide orbs filled up with tears as he haphazardly flew into his best friend's chest with a sob. "I let Carla down. I couldn't help her when she needed it the most."  
"What are you talking about Happy?" Pantherlily inquired with crossed arms as he stood up on two legs proudly. "If you hadn't flown as fast as you did, Carla would be facing much more than just a headache and magic depletion. Not only that, but with your fast flying, you managed to out fly the murder of crows. Thus saving both of your lives."  
Natsu laid a comforting hand on the azure fur of his partner. "Cheer up Little Buddy. You did us all proud."  
"Ano . . ." Wendy moved over to where Happy was located. "If you don't mind, could you perhaps share what happened? Lily already shared what he knew-"  
"Which wasn't much. Too my shame." The sable furred Exceed interjected.  
"-But he couldn't shed very much light on the issue."  
Happy flew up and landed on the back of the couch as he took a thoughtful pose. "Where do you want me to start?"  
"Before Wendy's cat started to go into convulsions." Natsu spoke up.  
"Alright." The Aera User nodded with a serious expression upon his normally joking face. "It all just happened so suddenly."  
"What did?" Wendy asked in concern.  
"Carla's screaming." Happy's black orbs grew grim. "At first, when she stopped flying and got that vacant look in her eyes, I thought that she was having a vision of some sort. But then she started to shake and lose altitude as well as crying out under her breath." His body shook like a leaf. "Eventually, Lilly and I grabbed her and landed on the nearest island close to the school because it had gotten so bad. And suddenly, she came back to reality."  
"She did?" The Navy Haired Slayer leaned forward. "I thought that more happened than that."  
Happy shook his fuzzy head slowly, his ears pinned back. "She did. For a brief moment. But as soon as that respite happened, I think that she was dragged into another very real nightmare."  
"What makes you say that?"  
"Because, Natsu," Pantherlily began, looking directly at the salmon haired Mage. "She screamed Wendy's name and then started to have very intense seizures."  
"My name?" Wendy held a hand over her mouth. "Why would she scream that?"  
"I think that whatever vision she was having, involved you somehow."  
"It was horrible." Happy trembled. "Not being able to help your friend. Tell me Wendy, will she be alright?"  
"Yeah, she should be."  
"Something attacked us while the Tomcat flew me to you?" Carla asked in shock. Her mind whirling to grasp the fact that Happy had risked bodily harm just to get her help.  
"Hai." Wendy nodded slowly. "Crows crashed into Lucy-nee, Natsu-kun, and my classroom windows."  
"Goodness gracious. Was anyone hurt?!"  
"A few." The Sky Slayer bit her lip.  
"Who?"  
"Mainly just Natsu-kun and Lucy-nee." The Bluenette answered.  
"Why only those two?"  
"Lucy-nee defended the students while Natsu-kun," She blinked back tears. "While Natsu-kun took the attack that was meant for me."  
"The Fire Breather did that?" Carla felt gratitude welling up in her tiny cat body. 'I need to make sure that I thank that boy for everything that he has done for Wendy.'  
"Yes. He was amazing. Actually both of them were."  
"I see. Thank you for waiting up for me Child."  
"It was no problem." Wendy smiled happily at her closest friend.  
"Is it alright if I speak about what happened another day?"  
"Of course it is. Take as long as you need Carla."  
"Thank you Child." Carla paused before speaking again. "I'm not sure if I've said this before, but you are becoming a fine young lady Wendy."  
Wendy felt her cheeks grow warm at the usually tart Exceed's praise. "Thanks Carla. That means a lot to me."  
"No, thank you Child."  
"Yeesh! What is that thing?!" Lucy gawked at the weird snake like 'door' at the end of the tunnel. "It looks weird."  
Erik gave her an incredulous look. "Just to be certain, but you of all people, the woman whose team is comprised of monsters, is saying that having a circular door with metal snakes wrapping around it is weird? The one who is on a team with two demons- one literal and the other one figurative. A Demon Slayer, whom if I heard correctly-" Cobra sent a fanged smirk her way. "Which I always do, got his Slayer magic so that he could kill his best friend."  
"He didn't know it was Natsu at the time! Besides, it not like Natsu wanted to become a demon either! His brother did that to him in order to save him!"  
"That's beside the point Heartfilia. Even if you don't believe that to be weird, which it is, the two very opinionated, talking cats, one of whom is blue, and the other one sees into the future are weird enough. Plus they have you. Enough said."  
The Celestial Mage crossed her arms over her chest in a huff of irritation. "Can it Jerk Face! Besides, that's not the only thing that I find troubling here. First of all, the gigantic snake molts are enough to creep me out. But what's creeping me out the most is the magical energy coming of the freaky door knobs over there."  
"You're right . . ." Cobra slowly looked around at the various pieces of massive snake skin laying out on the floor. "That would have had to been one freakishly large snake to have molted all that skin."  
"And I bet whatever shed that is probably behind that door." Lucy worried her lip as she felt another touch from the door's magic reach out to her and try to wrap her in its oily presence.  
"It's trying to attach itself to you?" Erik asked in alarm.  
The Stellar Mage shuddered as another attempt occurred. "I think so."  
"So it's dark magic." He observed, extending his fingers to ghost across the intricately texted surface before dropping his hand immediately when he felt the magic slither around him to his blond companion. 'Not happening.' The Poison Slayer blocked the magic from going any further. "Lucy, call out your old cross spirit. He might know something."  
Lucy nodded wordlessly as she pulled out the silver key. "Open, Gate of the Southern Cross: Crux!"  
With golden flash and a cherry ding dong sound that had Cobra wincing, Crux appeared sleepily. "Hullo Lucy." He started to doze off.  
"Hello Crux. Thank you for coming."  
"Of course." The old Cross nodded, fully awake now. "Now what have you summoned me for?"  
"That." Lucy pointed at the circular stone door. "I was wondering if you could tell me anything about it."  
"Hmm . . ." The ancient Spirit regarded the door intently before seemingly falling asleep.  
"I guess all we can do now is wait." The Key Holder sighed while she propped a foot up against the wall. "I'm so going to be feeling this in the morning."  
"You will." Erik agreed with her, he too leaning his body alongside the damp tunnel wall.  
Lucy cracked open an eye that had fallen shut. "And you won't?"  
The Maroon Haired Mage snorted quietly from his perch, his single amethyst eye glowing in the darkness. "No. I'm use too little to no sleep."  
"You know that's bad for your body right?"  
"Trust me Heartfilia, I know. It's just a habit that got ingrained in me during my earlier days." The words 'beaten into' were left unsaid but somehow heard.  
"I see." Her expression turned downcast. "I'm sor-" She stopped when a vicious growl met her words.  
"Stop it Heartfilia. I don't need your pity."  
"It wasn't pity." Lucy exhaled in exhaustion. "I just-" She paused, trying collect her thoughts. "I guess I sort of know what you went through. While it was nowhere near as pain-"  
"I know." He said bluntly, cutting off her explanation.  
Surprise coated her features as her mouth worked to find the words through her surprise. 'How could he possibly know? Not even my family full knows everything that went on during my younger years . . .'  
"You showed me."  
Those three simple words set off a chain of emotions in the Blonde. First and foremost, there was confusion. Second there was shock, and lastly there was some unnamable emotion flowing through her body at thought of some actually being able to relate to her. "When?" She finally managed. "How?"  
His eye seemed to flare even brighter. "The morning that the old man came to talk to us. You stopped me from melting him into a pile of toxic waste."  
With confusion evident upon her soul, Lucy furrowed her brows as she raked through every memory that she had of that time and came up blank. 'All I remember doing is mentally singing a song that my mom use to sing to me when I got hurt, and hugging him in an attempt to calm him down and keep him from melting the poor Headmaster into an acidic pile of goo. Which, I don't think Cobra is trying to allude to.'  
"You sang?" His rasping voice brought the Stellar Mage back to reality. 'Then, does that mean that her soul showed all that without her even willing it too?'  
"Yes . . . But what did you hear?"  
"Your past." He stated flatly. Already tensing in preparation for the blow out that would occur. 'Darn… and here I thought that my ears could have had a rest for longer than thirty minutes.'  
"My . . . Past?" Lucy questioned slowly, everything in soul coming to a screeching halt.  
'Well that's creepy.' Erik thought offhandedly. 'But I wonder how she is doing that . . . 'cause I'm quite sure that normal souls can't just put a halt to everything in just a nanosecond.'  
"Just what did you see?" She asked woodenly.  
"Not very much."  
"Cobra!" The Former Heiress snapped. "Stop beating around the bush and tell me already darn it!"  
"Alright. I will since you asked so nicely." He leaned forward dangerously, his single orb glinting darkly as he bared down on the Celestial Mage. 'Blondie's walking a very fine line.' "I heard everything that happened in your life concerning daddy dearest."  
Lucy felt her proverbial hackles go up at the intense look the formerly Dark Mage was giving her. 'And it's not the intense look he hit me with earlier. This feels more like someone walking over my grave.'  
"You got that right Jugs. I don't take kindly to being ordered around."  
"And I don't take kindly to threats." She met his gaze head on with a challenging one of her own.  
He looked at her for several heartbeats and then backed down with a rasping chuckle. "No, I suppose you aren't the type to 'take kindly to threats' as you put it."  
Lucy felt the tension drain out of her body. "Glad you figured that out."  
Cobra stared at her in befuddlement. 'Was she only reacting to my emotions? Something tells me no. It felt like a challenge and . . . I let her win.'  
'No . . .' An ancient voice rumbled. 'I made you back down. I recognize that posture for what it was; even if you, do not.'  
His eye widened. 'That voice. Where did it come from? And why didn't I sense it?'  
'You truly are oblivious young one.'  
'Who are you? Show yourself!' He snarled, automatically raising his Dragon Slaying Magic.  
Only chuckles met his words and slowly drifted away until they were completely gone.  
"Cobra?" Lucy inquired softly, stepping in front of the growling Mage. "Are you alright?"  
"Bri-Heartfilia?" Erik backed away.  
"Are you alright?"  
"I'm fine." He responded gratingly while he shoved an agitated hand through his burgundy hair. 'Sure I'm fine. Except for the fact that I just heard a voice in my head that I think I imagined; I'm great.'  
"Okay…" Lucy drawled slowly- clearly not buying his answer but going along with it.  
"Aha!" Crux bellowed vociferously; causing both Mages to jump in surprise. "After much searching I have figured this conundrum out!"  
"You have?!" Lucy's eyes gleamed happily.  
"Indeed." The Cross bobbed up and down affirmatively.  
"What did find?" Erik asked without wasting any words.  
"Many fascinating facts."  
"Like what?" The Key Holder questioned avidly.  
"For one, that doorway is the path that leads to the place known as the 'Chamber of Secrets'."  
Cobra snorted in amusement. "I see that these Wizards are just about as creative at picking names as they are at making fashion."  
Lucy swatted at his chest in an effort to shush him. "Quiet Cobra. I want to hear what else Crux-ojii-san has to say."  
"As I was saying, The Chamber of Secrets was created by one of the founding Wizards of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin. Inside the chamber there were tales of a horrific beast with terrifying powers residing there. And-" The old Spirit looked straight at his master. "It was said that even spiders feared the beast."  
"Spiders?" The Blonde echoed in fright.  
Erik gave her a fanged grin as he crossed his ankle over his foot smugly. "I bet that you just love that one, don't you Heartfilia."  
"Put a sock in it Snake Boy." Lucy tried to glare menacingly but the fact that she was blushing crimson ruined the effect. "I'm not in the mood to hear it."  
"Whatever you say, dear."  
"Thanks, darling."  
"Ahem." Crux coughed into his fist. 'They bicker like an old married couple . . .' "Continuing onward…"  
"Right." The Whip Wielder corrected her irate posture and went back to listening. "Please continue."  
"Apparently Slytherin grew upset that there was people with human blood coming to his school and 'contaminating it' as he put it in his diary."  
"You read his diary?" Lucy blinked in shock. "I thought that that went against your rules …?"  
"Ordinarily yes. But with such extenuating circumstances, the King has seen fit to lift the ban on this matter."  
"I see..." She murmured. 'It never ceases to amaze me what my Spirits will do to help me.'  
". . . Eventually he designed this place and left for parts unknown. And locked the Chamber of Secret up two ways. The first lock was the one on the sink. The second is this door; which I believe is encoded to open on a key phrase spoken in parseltongue."  
"Mind explaining to the rest of the class?"  
"Cobra!" Lucy hissed. "Don't be rude to my Spirit. But-" She turned her attention back to the carefully watching Cross. "Do you think you could tell us what parseltongue is? I have a feeling that it refers to snakes somehow, but I can't figure out anything more."  
"Certainly Lucy-sama." Crux agreed amicably. "First off, a parselmouth is a person who can speak in the language of serpents. Meaning that you will most likely need say 'open' or something akin to that in parseltongue to get past the final lock."  
"Oh. I see." She nibbled on her lip in thought before whirling around. "Cobra! You had a pet snake for most of your life right?"  
"Yeah . . . And Cubellios wasn't your normal snake. Besides, I can't help you in the snake language."  
"Why not?"  
"Because, we never spoke in snake. Only soul to soul."  
"Oh." Her expression fell. 'I wish that I could find a way to speak parseltongue.'  
"You wissh to speak the language of the Ssserpents?" A being asked insidiously- seeming to pause time as it spoke directly into the Blonde's mind.  
Lucy stiffened abruptly when the dark, serpentine voice spoke. 'Who are you?' She asked warily; her brain screaming at her that she should run. Somehow though, her legs would not listen to her.  
"If you ask, I will loan you my power just this once."  
'Why?'  
"You intrigue me little girl. I have never encountered a power like yoursss before."  
Lucy could almost imagine a tongue quickly darting in and out like a snake's. 'What do you mean?' She questioned guardedly.  
"It is so pure. So bright. It woke me from my slumber in this place."  
'I did?' She asked in shock.  
"Yesss . . ." It hissed, seeming to curl its incorporeal self around her body. "What isss your answer human? Will you let me help you? Or-" The phantom coils tightened. "Will you go quit?"  
'No.'  
"No what?" The twin forked give the impression that it fluttered against the Key Holder's cheek in question.  
'No I will not give up.'  
"Sssmart decission." It gave one last squeeze before entering the Fairy Tail Mage's body in one move.  
Lucy gasped at the fullness that her soul felt when, what she now could identify now as a gigantic snake coiled inside her soul. 'All those molted skins, where they yours?' She inquired in a daze, her body still adjusting to the sudden intrusion.  
'Yess . . .' The Serpent replied. 'Now hurry up and complete what you came here to do. I cannot keep thiss up forever.'  
'Right.' Lucy snapped out of the frozen state that she had been in previously and walked wordlessly to the door and almost in a trance said, "Open"  
"Heartfilia?" Cobra looked in surprise at the Celestial Mage as she began to walk dazedly towards the door; her soul suspiciously silent. "Is everything okay?"  
"Celestial King's beard! She's speaking parseltongue!" Crux exclaimed with wide eyes.  
"What? She is? But how?"  
"I don't know my boy. But it would probably be best if you follow her." The Spirit faded back to his world with those last parting words.  
"Thanks Ojii-san." Erik muttered under his breath. "Heartfilia." He jogged to catch up with her; catching her elbow with his hand to stop her from walking any further.  
"Cobra?" Lucy blinked as clarity came back to her in a rush as the large presence vanished from her body. "What's wrong?" She looked at his grasp on her elbow.  
'Her soul. I can hear it again.' "Nothing." He released her and stepped into the damp chamber.  
"Okay." She murmured softly before gasping as the chamber came into full light; and the gigantic serpentine skeleton laying on the fountained walkway. 'Oh my. I understand now. That presence that helped me was this beast. I guess it just wanted someone to see it one last time. Poor thing.'  
"Lucy . . ." Erik called the Stellar Mage by her real name as his eye narrowed. "What do you mean it helped you?"  
'Crap.' She groaned. 'I forgot that Cobra could hear me.'  
"It was nothing. Please drop it." Lucy requested brusquely. Discussing what had happened earlier with the ghost felt wrong to her.  
The Slayer gave her a measuring look. "Fine. I'll drop it. If-" He almost chuckled as the hopeful expression turned into one of defeat. "You promise to help me with something later on."  
"What is it?"  
"Not going to tell. That would ruin the surprise. Besides, it won't be anything perverted. Or that will get you into trouble." Erik added when she started to open her mouth to add that. "Well, not too much anyways."  
"Alright. We have a deal."  
His sharp canine teeth came into full view when his grinned. "It was a pleasure doing business with you Heartfilia-san."  
"Sadly, I can't say the same thing." She groaned as she thought of all the horrible tasks that he could give her. 'I'm doomed.'  
"You're over thinking it Gloom and Doom." Cobra called out over his shoulder while he moved to examine the oversized head statue that was in a small pool of water.  
'Yeah right.' Lucy rolled her eyes while she walked to her maroon haired "Is that who I think it is?" Lucy walked next to her Maroon Haired partner in curiosity.  
"I think so."  
"Wow." The Blonde gaped. "Slytherin most have been much more conceited than I already thought."  
Erik shot her an amused glance. "Actually, I expected more figure heads to be lined up inside a pool after what I heard about that pompous nut job."  
"Actually Cobra," Lucy sweat-dropped. "There are."  
"You're joking right?"  
Lucy shot him an amused smile. "Aren't you supposed to be the mind reader?"  
"Souls Heartfilia. I can hear souls. Not minds."  
"Close enough." She shrugged.  
He muttered a few choice words under his breath about blondes.  
"Cobra . . ." Lucy asked sweetly, an ominous aura beginning to surround her as she smiled gently at the Poison Dragon Slayer. "What were you saying?"  
"Nothing." Erik spoke quickly while he searched for a way to redirect the conversation. "I was just wondering where you saw those figurines."  
"Oh, that." The scary Lucy receded and the normal Lucy pointed behind him at the two parallel pools- each of which had rows upon rows of Salazar Slytherin statues lined up; though, a few did look a bit chipped. 'I wonder if whomever killed the beast, did that damage as well.'  
"I would say so." The Soul Listening Mage responded to her thoughts as if she had voiced them aloud. "It's shame though."  
"What is?" The Stellar Mage questioned absentmindedly as she ran a hand over the damp stone of the statues.  
"That this snake died." Erik crouched next to the head- examining the length of the three remaining fangs. "She was probably a beauty when she was alive. Old too."  
"It was a she?" Lucy moved over to where Cobra was crouching and leaned over to look at the skeleton in puzzlement. "How you do you know?"  
He stopped what he was doing and just looked at her. "Did you forget that I had Cubellios?"  
"Oh! That's right. I remember always seeing her wrapped around you during the Nirvana incident."  
Erik gazed at Lucy with surprise coating his features. "How do you know that she was a girl?"  
"Erza told me."  
"Why?" Suspicion clouded his mind.  
"Well, after her fight with you, the one that you abandoned-" She looked pointedly at him.  
Cobra simply inclined his head with an ironic twist of his lips.  
"-Erza came to me asked if I knew anything about your friend, Cubellios."  
"And did you?"  
"Not at first."  
"Your old cross Spirit." Erik observed astutely. "You called him and asked him look into Cubellios."  
"Hai." Lucy nodded. "After that, I came to the realization that Kinana was your lost friend."  
"Who did you tell?" He focused his violet orb on her intensely.  
"No one. I didn't tell a soul."  
"Why?"  
The Blonde shook her head with a bittersweet smile upon her face. "Because it was not my secret to tell. It is yours."  
"Even when Titania asked you, you didn't cave in?"  
"No." Lucy crouched down next to the deeply tanned Slayer to look him in the eye. "Kinana is my friend. And I would never put her life in jeopardy."  
"Thank you."  
Those soft spoken words caught her by surprise. "You're welcome Cobra." She finally said after many seconds of trying to find the right words.  
"Come on Heartfilia," He held out a scarred palm for her to grasp. "Let's go back to the common room before it gets even later."  
Lucy accepted the hand gratefully. "Yeah, I can't believe that it's two thirty already."  
"Time flies when you're having fun." Erik said sardonically.  
"Hah. As if." She snorted as she began to walk past the oversized snake skeleton.  
"Watch out for debris." Cobra called after her.  
"I will-omph!" Lucy started to say but was cut off when her foot hit an indent in the walkway- causing her fall on top of the deceased Basilisk's bones. 'Itai itai…' She cringed at the painful throbbing in her arm.  
"Heartfilia, are you alright?" Erik asked with a concern pumping through his body at the sweet scent of blood now permeating the air surrounding them.  
"Yeah . . ." She groaned, slowly lifting herself from her sprawled out position atop the pile of bones. "I'm okay."  
"You sure?" He helped her up. "Because right now, I can smell your blood."  
"I'm bleeding?" Lucy looked at her arm and gasped at the puncture wound on it.  
"Yep." The Soul Listening Mage agreed distractedly as he looked over the sluggishly bleeding wound. "We should get the little one to heal you. Just in case there was some type of residual venom on that things mouth where you hit it."  
"No, I don't want to bother Wendy. I'll just . . . Call Virgo." She gritted her teeth as she pulled out her faithful Spirit's Key. "Open . . . Gate of Maiden . . . Virgo …"  
'Stubborn idiot. Even though I would have done the same thing.' Cobra sighed bemusedly.  
"Hime." Virgo burst into appearance with a medical bag in her hands; her blue orbs more serious than normal. "Let me tend to your wound."  
"Thanks Virgo." Lucy exhaled when her pink haired Maid finished wrapping her wound.  
"Sorry that I could not do more." Virgo bowed. "But I cannot seal puncture wounds."  
"It's fine." The blonde forced a smile on her face as she sent the Celestial Spirit home.  
"You're still in pain." The burgundy haired Mage observed with a narrowed orb as he listened to her.  
"I'm fine." Lucy began to move forward stubbornly- nearly falling over when a wave of dizziness hit her.  
"See? I told you so."  
"Sorry." She apologized weakly as she leaned heavily against the wall closest to her while she cradled her arm as another throb of intense pain went through her arm.  
"Don't apologize." He muttered under his breath while he gently took her arm from her and placed his hand over the cut and concentrated.  
"What . . . Are you doing?" The Key Holder questioned blearily when her partner in crime's fingers started glowing wine red with his distinct brand of poison.  
"Numbing the wound."  
"Thanks Cobra." Lucy moaned in relief as Cobra's cool, numbing poison worked its way through her body- successfully numbing it. 'It feels like heaven . . .'  
"I wouldn't go that far Blondie." Erik chuckled lightly in amusement while he bent downward and put one arm underneath her quivering knees and the other behind her neck as he picked her up bridal style and began to walk towards the location of fresh air coming from somewhere further down in the cave. "Just ask Salamander."  
"Uhmm." She groaned sleepily in response, her head rolling backwards as she finally drifted into unconscious.  
Above her, Cobra simply shook his head, his lips softening into a smile as he gazed on her peace filled features- his heart seeming to grow in pride at the level of trust that the Blonde was showing to him. "Sleep well Heartfilia. Nothing will harm you while you are under my watch." He vowed, his voice loud in the echoing silence of the cavern.  
________________________________________  
"What is this place?" Laxus scowled as he took in the magic room that had become gargantuan desert wasteland with only a few sparse crystal trees and a hovering silvery moon for decoration.  
Dumbledore gazed at the cool sands for a brief second, his mouth almost dropping at the sheer size that the Room of Requirement had taken on. 'Is this truly what these Fairy Tail Mages needed? If so, I vastly underestimated their power.' Clearing his throat, Albus answered the young Dreyar's inquiry with a slight amount of trepidation. "This is the Room of Requirement. It is a magical room that our founders put in place to allow Witches and Wizards alike to find a place where they could train, find refuge, or hide something in. In all honesty, this room can used for just about anything."  
"Really?" Intrigue lit the scarred Lightning Dragon Slayer's visage. "And what can't it be used for?"  
"Mostly to create anything that could nourish a body."  
"Hmm." Laxus hummed thoughtfully before turning back to the grey haired Headmaster with a question in mind. "Tell me, do you know how much magical power this room could contain?"  
Albus tapped his fingers against his leg. "I'm not really sure." He admitted after many minutes of mentally scouring his massive archive of a memory for the answer. "I do not believe anyone has ever measured it."  
"I see. Then I guess I'll just have to measure it myself." Laxus shrugged off his furred over coat; his body beginning crackle with the tell-tale sign of lightning.  
"What are you going to do?" Dumbledore asked in concern, his blue eyes wide out the amount of magic power flaring from the young man to his right.  
"Simple," He sent a fanged smirk in the direction of the old man. "I'm just going to hit it with everything I've got. So if I were you, ojii-san, I would get back."  
Without any delay, Albus stepped back, his mind working overtime as he waited for the Mage's first attack. 'This actually could be a very unique learning experience to see what Fairy Tail could do…'  
Taking a deep, fortifying inhale, his head drawing back and then snapping forward, Laxus bellowed his attack's name. "Lightning Dragon's Roar!"  
'Wait. . .' Dumbledore felt time slow down as he watched in almost slow motion, the attack raze a large, almost mile long crater in the sand. 'Does this mean that he was telling the truth earlier? I couldn't tell with Occlumency because he wasn't looking me in eyes before.''  
"Lightning Dragon's Heavenly Halberd!" The scarred Blonde shouted when he saw that room had held up against his breath attack. 'Next attack.' "Lightning Dragon's Jaw! Raging Bolt!" He punched forward, his magic barely feeling any drain. "Lightning Dragon's Roar!"  
'He's capable of firing more than one of those attacks?' The Headmaster questioned silently, his brain going overtime to calculate the benefits having such a powerful brand of magic. 'And according to Mister Dreyar, he isn't the only one with such a power.'  
When the dust finally settled, Laxus lowered his fist and relaxed his stance- a maniacal grin set upon his face. "Yeah, I think that will work. Thanks old man."  
________________________________________  
"Here we are." Peeves flourished his jingly hat in the direction of Slytherin's door.  
"Thanks Peeves." Levy smiled up at him.  
"Anything for the wee mistress." The Poltergeist sniggered while he came out of elaborate, and mocking bow.  
'Ugh. If hadn't grown up where I did, I think I would be pulling my hair out right about now.' The Script Mage groaned from within the confines of her mind- studiously ignoring all the Jokester's attempts to drive her insane.  
"Is there anything else mistress requires before Peevsie retires for night?"  
"No there is noth-"  
"Shrimp?" Gajeel's rasping voice interrupted what she had been trying to say to the annoying Specter.  
"Gajeel!" Levy jumped. "What are doing here?! And what happened to you?!" She asked when his whole bruised appearance came into the dim light.  
"I was training." The Iron Dragon Slayer's wine red orbs flicked around the hallway suspiciously. "Who were you talking too?"  
"Oh, I was talking to Peeves the Poltergeist." She gestured to the suspiciously silent spot.  
". . . Shrimp . . ." Gajeel began slowly as he looked from where she was pointing and back to her. "There's no one there."  
"Huh? Of course there is . . ." The Bluenette trailed off when she realized that Peeves was noticeably absent. "Darn it Peeves! Get your ghostly butt back here!" Levy shouted into thin air, swearing that she could hear cackling answering her futile demand.  
"Oi!" Gajeel slapped a hand over the Script Mage's mouth in irritation. "Do you want to wake the whole castle?" He glared down at her; his hurt over her actions earlier forgotten for the time being.  
"Sorry Gajeel." Levy apologized.  
"Che. Just don't do it again." He dropped his hand.  
"Right." She hugged herself as her memories of what had happened that afternoon came flooding back. 'I was such an idiot.'  
Gajeel looked at her hunched over posture and suddenly remembered why he hurting, both physically and mentally. 'That's right.' His eyes dimmed as he brusquely moved past his blue haired guild mate. 'I let her get to close and now I am having to pay the piper because of it.'  
"Gajeel-!" Levy reached out a hand in a vain attempt to catch the sable haired Dragon Slayer before he left her in hallway. "Wait . . ." She finished her sentence sadly. 'Darn it! Why couldn't I have said something faster?'  
"Levy-san? What are you doing down here?"  
Levy gave a small hop when she heard the pink haired Crime Sorcière Mage's curious soprano. "Meredy-san?"  
The Maguilty User hid the grin that wanted to break out over her face at the sight of a surprised Levy McGarden. "Hello Levy-san. So, what brings you down to the dungeon at this ungodly hour?"  
"Oh that." The Bluenette rubbed the back of head sheepishly. "I needed to talk to Lu-chan. What about you?"  
"I felt your and Gajeel-san's magical energy. And when I heard your shout I decided to see if you were okay. Are you alright? I don't see Gajeel-san here anymore." Meredy looked around- her unbound bubblegum hair cascading down her back in pretty ringlets.  
"Yeah I'm okay." Levy gave her a half- hearted smile. "Sorry to have woken you up."  
Meredy waved away her apology. "It's fine. I wouldn't have woken up if I wasn't such a light sleeper."  
"Hey, Meredy-san?" Levy inquired. "Do you know if Lu-chan is awake as well?"  
At this the bubbly woman sobered up. "I'm sorry but Lucy-san never returned to the common room. In fact, I had hoped that you might know."  
"Oh." The Script Mage's expression fell. "Well darn. I had hoped that I could ask her something."  
"Maybe in the morning?" Meredy offered.  
"Maybe." Levy gave her tired smile. "But I should get back to my dorm. Want to walk back with me? Have some girl talk?"  
"Sure!" The former Grimoire Heart member chirped happily. "I'd happy too!"  
Levy felt her morose mood begin to lighten at Meredy's light hearted grins. 'Maybe this is just what I need.'  
________________________________________  
With a small sigh, Erik set down the abnormally warm blonde on her green and silver bed that had her scent on it; contemplating whether or not to take off the form fitting thigh high boot tights. 'The question is, how badly will she Lucy Kick me for doing that?'  
Cursing under his breath, Cobra decidedly set forth and felt his mouth go dry. 'Darn it! She's just another woman! Stop acting like a teenage boy who has never been around a girl before!' He growled internally, his eye flashing while his hands quickly but gently drew the skin tight tights off her and deposited them onto the chest in front of the wrought iron bed.  
Once that was finished, the Poison Dragon Slayer got up and quietly left the two person room- noting absently that his guild mate was not present. 'I wonder where she is . . . Probably out making trouble. But right now, I couldn't care less.' He yawned slightly as he sat down on the oversized sized lounge chair placed next to the magically flickering fire. 'I just want to relax . . .' His amethyst orb began to drift shut and then abruptly snapped open when the mental image of what Virgo had thought ran again through his mind. 'Ugh. I can't get it out of my head. Why can't I just move on and forget it? It was just a figment of that Masochistic Maid's imagination! It wasn't real! So why,' He breathed a shuddering breath. 'Why can't I get those words out of my head?!' He groaned as the pain of it not being real grated across his corroded heartstrings once again. 'Why did I even let that Maid's thoughts get to me? I, of all people should know better.' The Slayer looked blankly into the flickering fire- his scarred hands clasped tightly together, causing his knuckles to turn white with the strain. 'So why can't I stop replaying what I saw?'  
Lucy shivered again as felt chill after chill wrack her body as she slowly woke up to feel of damp drafts blowing in- sending even more chills through her body. 'I feel so cold.' She shivered. 'What's wrong with me? I shouldn't feel this cold. It's only early October. Maybe it's so cool because it's an underground dormitory.' She shivered again. 'But I wasn't this cold yesterday. Maybe . . .' Her teeth chattered as another chill wracked her hot and cold body. 'The common room fire will warm me up.'  
Goose bumps rising as the Key Holder hazily made her way to the stone floored common room. Her bare feet not even registering the fact that they were cold. 'Wait a second,' Lucy frowned when her dazed mind finally noticed the maroon haired figure siting on one of the two lounge chairs.  
"Cobra?" Lucy whispered hoarsely as she walked to the side of charcoal chair. "What are you doing still up?"  
Erik jumped when he heard her husky voice speak to the left of him. 'Heartfilia? What is she doing up? I thought she was out for the count.' "I couldn't sleep." He finally rasped softly, his gaze returning to the entrancing flames dancing hypnotically in their grate.  
"Is there… anything I… can do?" Lucy wrapped her arms around her torso in an attempt to conserve body heat.  
Cobra sat up with a concerned frown as he listened to her shiver. "Heartfillia? Are you alright?" Uncommon concern welled up in him as he felt every tremor that wracked her stooped frame. 'Does she have a fever?'  
"I'm . . . Just cold." Lucy's teeth chattered. "You don't need to worry."  
"Bull Heartfilia." Cobra stood up and gently slapped his hand onto her forehead- his lips tugging downward even further when his concerns were proven correct. "You have a fever." He looked down at the wrapped wound and slowly began to unwrap it. "And I'd bet this wound has something to with it."  
"Do you think… that the bones had some… sort of pathogen on it?" The Blonde flinched in pain when the Poison Dragon Slayer probed at her puncture wound.  
"Perhaps . . ." Erik brought her arm up closer to his nose and inhaled deeply- his nose working through all the different scents on her.  
"What do you smell?" Lucy questioned as she looked at him with dulled brown eyes.  
"Venom." He growled lowly. "That serpent must have had some type of poison running through their body when it was alive."  
"How . . . Strong is it?" She panted as another wave of dizziness washed over her- causing her to slump into Cobra's chest.  
"I'm not sure." His brow furrowing while his hands automatically reached out to stabilize the Celestial Mage. "But just to be sure, would you like for me to try and overwhelm the venom with my poison?"  
". . . Yeah… I think that would be best." Lucy mumbled tiredly.  
"Alright then. Hold still." Cobra murmured as he began to seep his poison into her body slowly- trying to trick her body into accepting his toxic magic. 'I just hope that her body doesn't try to reject my power. If it does,' His violet eye darkened. 'She will die. But, considering that Heartfilia should be already dead from the level of venom from that she had been exposed too, I really have no choice. I'll have to make my power an antivenin before her body goes into complete shock.'  
"I'll . . . Try . . ." Lucy coughed as her friend's poison started to burn in her body.  
'So it's getting warm. That's good. It means that her body allowed my magic to fight the other, invading toxin.' He gradually slowed the poison flow to a mere trickle before stopping altogether.  
"Are… you… done?" She slurred- her body on the precipice between awake and unconscious.  
"Yeah. I'm done." Erik gently picked her up and stalked over to the deep, black leather couch; taking off his jacket and covering the Stellar Mage's trembling body with it.  
"Wait-" Lucy grasped his shirt tails with a surprisingly strong grip. "Please don't go."  
Hearing the soundless plea from her soul crying out, Cobra sighed lightly and removed her hand from his shirt- feeling his heart give a weird twinge at the silvery sheen of tears in her eyes at his supposed refusal. "Move over Heartfilia."  
Without a word, the Ex-Heiress tried to roll over but stopped when agony swept up her arm at the movement; causing her to hiss in pain.  
"Here." The Maroon Haired Mage lifted her up, putting a hand over her mouth to muffle the squeak while he laid down on the couch. Settling the suddenly tensed blonde over his chest.  
"What . . . What are you doing?" She squeaked again, her fevered cheeks going redder than they already were at the feel of him underneath her.  
Erik closed his eye, breathing in her vanilla and lavender scent mixed with his scent while he pulled up his jacket to cover the feverish blonde. "Just go to sleep Heartfilia. I'm not going to do anything perverted. Besides," He cracked his orb open slightly to meet hers. "This way you can be warm enough to go back to sleep."  
At this Lucy nodded, her body beginning to relax and become pliant overtop of the Slayer's. "Thanks Cobra." She murmured drowsily, rubbing her head against his soft shirt while she cuddled closer to her personal heater.  
"I'm not your personal heater." Erik muttered under his breath; freezing momentarily in shock when he felt her frozen digits creep under his shirt and touch his heavily scarred back.  
"Cobra . . ." Lucy began languidly, her body's cozy 'bed' lolling her back to sleep. "Why don't you call me Bright Eyes anymore?"  
He felt himself still at her question. 'Why indeed.' "I think . . . That I felt that I was getting too relaxed with you. And because of that, I felt that I should move you away from me. Like I could ever do that." The Slayer felt a bemused chuckle rumble up in his chest. "Somehow though, you grew on me like mold and refuse to release me."  
"Mmh." She hummed while moving her head to reach a comfier position on his chest; unknowingly kissing his chest with soft lips.  
Erik's eyes widened in shock. 'She's-She's kissing me on my chest?! Darn it Heartfillia. You just refuse to release me from your clutches.' His body relaxed when he noticed how her breathing evened out and began to fan his chest every few seconds.  
He brushed his hand softly across her forehead to right the piece of flaxen hair that had fallen into her face as some unnamed and unknown emotion welled up in him as he stared at the peaceful face that he was responsible for.  
"Good night, Bright Eyes. Sweet dreams." His normally hard amethyst eye softening as he recalled the stubborn words that refused to leave his mind all night long, danced across his mind once more before he too, drifted into a light slumber.  
"Merry Christmas, I love you Cobra."  
Chapter Twelve-  
Gray yawned tiredly while he ran a hand through his sleep ruffled hair as he meandered towards his common room; coming to a stunned halt when his eyes beheld the shocking sight of Cobra and Lucy sleeping soundly together on the couch. 'What… the heck is going on?!' He rubbed his eyes to make sure that he was not hallucinating. 'Well, that proves that I'm not imagining things. But why is Cobra cuddling with Lucy?'  
"I'm not cuddling with her Stripper." Erik growled quietly, lifting his head to meet the Ice Make Mage's surprised orbs. "Just keeping her warm."  
"Really?" Gray smirked. "'Cause from here it looks like you're hugging her."  
"Then get your eyes checked Pop Sickle. I was keeping watch over her to make sure that her wound didn't get worse overnight."  
At those words, all thoughts about teasing the Ex-Convict went out the window. "What happened?" Gray uttered darkly, his icy aura rising with his ire. "If you hurt her-"  
"Oi, calm down. I didn't hurt her. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I saved her life."  
"Explain." The Demon Slayer gritted out tightly. Feeling as though he was ready to take his Cold Excalibur to someone but only holding on because he did not want to wake the peacefully sleeping blonde.  
"I'll explain it to you later. When I'm not acting as a personal pillow for Blondie."  
Gray regarded Cobra silently for a few heartbeats before snorting in a wry amusement. "Alright. I will ask what happened later. But, does she need someone to cover for her at class?"  
"I'm not sure."  
"Right." The Ice Mage sighed. "If anyone needs me, I'll be running around the castle grounds."  
Erik gave him an uninterested glower. "Like I care Stripper."  
"That phrase was more for anyone from Fairy Tail who was curious."  
"Just get to your run already Fullbuster."  
"Aye sir." Gray chuckled lightly, giving a mock salute as he swept his way out of room and into cool stone corridor; only to stop in his tracks in order to avoid colliding into the pink haired Maguilty Mage who was rushing around the corner.  
"Oh! Gray-san!" Meredy gasped, stopping just shy of the Fairy Tail Mage. "Gomen Nasai!" She bowed quickly. Mortification welling up inside of her.  
"Hey, it's fine." He reached out his hands awkwardly. "Don't sweat it."  
Meredy gave a sigh of relief. Used to temperamental males who could not let go of anything. "So… what are you up to this early in the morning?" She began, bouncing light on the balls of feet. Suddenly aware of how bedraggled she must look.  
Gray stopped fidgeting and remembered why he was out of his bed well before dawn. "I couldn't sleep very well and I figured a nice run before the sun came up would help get the stress smoothed out before having to deal with classes."  
Meredy gave a sympathetic hum. "Yeah. I know what you mean. After everything that happened on Tenrou Island, I took up exercising to de-stress. Running in particular. It seemed to work better."  
"Would you like to join me? It's always nice to have a running partner. But," He gave a shrug. "No pressure. If you don't want to go, just say so. I won't be offended. It is an ungodly hour of the morning."  
A light tinkling laugh met his words. "I would have to agree with you there. Four o'clock in the morning is pretty early. But I'm used to being up at weird hours. Besides, I never really went to bed. I just dozed lightly in the Ravenclaw common room for a couple of hours."  
"Darn." Gray whistled softly, eyeing the former Grimoire Heart Member with new respect. "I really won't be offended if you say no."  
"No," Meredy waved her hand. "I would I like to run. Besides, if all I do is sleep, eat, and study; I'll become bigger than a whale."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Quite." Then she added at his still skeptical look, "Really, I'd love to Gray-san. Just let me get changed."  
"Alright." He settled himself against the nearest wall and relaxed. "I'll wait right here for you." Gray added, knowing full well, after having been close friends with Lucy, how long a girl could take getting ready.  
Meredy giggled lightly in mirth at his posture. Having seen it several times from Jellal when Angel was 'getting ready'. "There's no need for that. I'll just requip my running outfit on."  
"Wait. You can requip?" He blinked several times, his eyes popping out as a thought occurred to him. 'If she can requip her clothes, does this mean that she's like Erza or that one, really crazy mercenary that we faced in Velonica?'  
"Nothing as fancy or useful as Scarlett-san's requips. Just basic clothing."  
"Oh. I see." Gray breathed out, relieved beyond measure that there was not a mini Erza in the making.  
"Why are you so relieved?" Her bubblegum pink hair swished softly as her head tilted to the side in curiosity.  
"Oh… no particular reason." He sweat-dropped.  
"Okay . . ." She spoke dubiously but let the issue go as she began her requiping with a full bodied fuchsia glow surrounding her body. "Are you ready?" Meredy questioned after the light died down, leaving a stunned Gray Fullbuster in its wake.  
"…Yeah." The Ice Make Mage all but stuttered with wide eyes as he took in his fellow running mate's outfit. Or lack thereof. 'I know that I've seen my fair share of revealing outfits and beautiful women, but darn. She's hot.' He whistled internally at the strained burgundy running bra and the short, black dance shorts that hugged her in all the right places on her leanly muscled body.  
"Well, are you going to get changed?" Meredy inquired innocently. Not even noticing the Demon Slayer's heated appraisal.  
Gray shook his head and smirked. "No need. I'll just run in these." He stripped down to his black boxers in an instant. Leaving only his shoes and socks on. "Do you mind storing them for me while we run?"  
"No problem." She fazed the rumpled clothes into her dimension space without a thought. "So, where to?"  
"I was thinking around the lake. That sound good to you?"  
"That sounds wonderful!" Meredy grinned excitedly, her high fishtail braid swinging.  
"Alright. Follow me."  
________________________________________  
"Dad…" Lucy breathed out with watering eyes. "You're alive."  
Jude Heartfilia looked down at his daughter in mild surprise. "Of course I am. Why would I not be?"  
"It's just . . ." Her voice cracked, "I had a dream that you died."  
"… I see."  
Finally getting her bearings, Lucy looked around and noticed the cathedral like building she was in. "Eto… where are we, if you don't mind me asking?"  
"The Church of course. Where else would we hold your wedding to the Duke?"  
Feeling as though she had been run over by a train, Lucy just stared at the imposing figure of her father in shock. "I…I'm sorry . . . but what?"  
"Lucy," Jude warned sharply. "What I have told about stuttering?"  
She bowed her head down and spoke quietly. "I am sorry. You have always told me to speak clearly."  
"Do not allow it to happen again." He glowered menacingly down at her. "Stuttering is most unbecoming of a debutant; especially for you, my dear. Now before I walk you down the aisle, I feel that it is necessary to remind you that, you are doing this for all our sakes."  
"I see. Is there anything else, father?" Lucy asked dully.  
"Actually yes, there is." Jude cleared his throat. "As I have told you many times before you went off to play in that guild, after you are married, you must produce a male heir so that the Heartfilia line is secured. After all, your mother is not capable of bearing anymore heirs, at least not in her condition."  
'What?!' Her head shot up to meet her father's impassive gray eyes. "Father," She spoke slowly, afraid of talking faster lest she stutter again in shock. "How is mother alive…? And how did you get me to come to the Mansion?"  
"You don't remember?"  
She shook her head no. "Forgive me, it seems that I am having trouble with me memory this morning. My dream must have blurred the lines of reality. Would you please explain it to me again?"  
"As you wish." Jude cast a slightly surprised yet pleased glance down at his white clad daughter. "It was only recently that you came back to us from that disreputable guild called Fairy Tail. I had wanted to retrieve you sooner, but your mother insisted that I let you have your fun before returning home." He sighed, "I really wish that I hadn't listened to her. But, in the end I suppose everything did work out."  
Lucy frowned as she tried to recall her memories of coming home, but grimaced when pain shot through her head. 'What just happened? I got an image of someone…' Her brow furrowed. 'Someone with pink hair. Why did that image feel like home?' She pushed harder and more faces without names flowed in. 'I know those faces. But how? Why do they feel so close to my heart? More importantly, why can't I remember them?!'  
"Lucy?" Jude questioned in concern when he noticed the tears sliding down her face. "Why are you crying?"  
"I'm crying?" She reached up and pressed her hand against her wet cheek.  
"Yes, you are." He said a bit impatiently. "It would be best if you stopped. No one likes to see a crying bride. Besides, you will ruin your make-up."  
'He doesn't care, does he?' "I'm sorry. I will stop." 'That's right,' Lucy remembered suddenly with a pang. 'He's never cared. All I was to him, was a glorified brood mare.'  
"Yes, well, be thankful that you have a veil to wear."  
She bowed her head. "Could you please continue with your story?"  
"Of course. Now as I was saying; after that guild finally disbanded, your mother and I felt that it was the right time to bring you home." He paused, "Actually, you came a lot more willingly than I thought you would. I guess your mother was correct."  
"What was their name?"  
"Pardon?" Jude asked in surprise at being interrupted.  
"What was the name of the guild that I went to?"  
"Fairy Tail. A no good guild for Mages." His lips twisted in disgust.  
'Fairy . . . Tail?' She thought slowly, dim images of people flickered through her mind. "Why did they disband?"  
He harrumphed, "Some dark guild went to battle with them and beat them down enough that they decided that it wasn't worth getting back up again."  
"Excuse me, Heartfilia-sama?" A servant questioned nervously. "They are ready for you." His non-descript brown eyes flickered to Lucy briefly. "And for Heartfilia-san."  
"Thank you." Jude looked at his pale daughter and raised his elbow. "Lucy, are you ready?"  
"Yes." She responded faintly, suddenly feeling light headed.  
"Good." He pulled her satiny vail down over her ornately done bridal braid and nodded to the man servant. "Open the doors."  
"Hai, Heartfilia-sama."  
Before the doors opened fully, Jude leaned down to whisper once more, "Just remember Lucy, you're doing this for your friends. If you don't, there is a good chance that your little guild friends will lose their lives."  
Lucy felt her breath freeze. "But how would my Fiancé know who they are?" She forced the words past her frozen lips; turning even colder at her father's expression. "No… please, don't tell me that they're in there."  
"I invited them myself."  
'I have to go through with this.' She thought, stunned at the lengths that her father would go just to make sure that she went through with the marriage. 'I can't let my friends get hurt. Even if I can't remember them right now.'  
"Everyone, please rise for the bride." The Herald announced.  
Everyone stood up collectively as the pipe organ played Wagner's March as Lucy walked gracefully down the aisle with her father; her one strapped Grecian dress flaring out behind her like a white cloud- the gray sequined belt reflecting the light.  
'Even though this should be such a happy occasion,' Lucy looked around at the many nameless faces. 'I feel as they I am marching to my funeral. And the odd part about all of this, is that the more I give in to my father's commands, the weaker I feel. It's strange.'' She paused in her thoughts when she noticed the more rowdy section of the Bride's side. 'Are those my former guild mates? They must be. I feel like I should know them. Why can't I remember?!'  
Finally, the Heartfilia Patriarch gave Lucy away and sat down at his proper seat, giving Lucy one last warning glare before fully sitting down.  
When Lucy reached the altar with a swirl of white as she turned around to face the sweating, rotund figure of her husband to be, the swelling organ chords died down, leaving empty silence to fill the air.  
The priest raised his hands solemnly and took a deep breath as he prepared himself to start the wedding. "Mawriage. Mawriage is what bwings us, toguther, todaiy." He began nasally, ruining the feeling of utmost formalness with his nasal like mispronunciation of the words.  
'Is this priest for real?' Lucy sweat-dropped.  
After much pomp and circumstance, the Priest finally got to the vows. "Do you, Duke Sawarr Junelle take Lady Lucy Heartfilia to be your lawfully wedded wife?"  
The Duke responded with a high-pitched, "I do."  
The Officiator turned to Lucy and asked, "And do you, Lady Lucy Heartfilia, take Duke Sawarr Junelle to be your lawfully wedded husband?"  
"I…" Her voice cracked as she paused to think about what she was about to say, something within her telling her to fight and not let this happen.  
"Sssay itt…" A voice hissed at her.  
"I..." She started again, only to pause, this time because of a brilliant glow enveloping her as time and space seemed to warp and turn into a starry galaxy.  
"Are you really just going to let this happen?!" An irate voice demanded from somewhere in the star filled sky.  
"Who's there?" Lucy looked frantically around for the incorporeal voice.  
"If you can't remember, then it's none of your business."  
"Who… are you…?" She questioned hesitantly, something inside her telling her that she should know this voice.  
"You insufferable brat!" The feminine voice snapped, startling Lucy. "There is no way that I am going to let you get off easy just because you can't remember! Not after all the fishbowl summons, the bath summons; and don't even get me started on the all of the disgusting puddles that you've called me through!" Ire practically radiated off the invisible being. "So if you think that you can just forget everything, you've got another thing coming Brat!"  
'This voice…. I know this voice.' Lucy pushed past the blinding headache that pressed down on her mind and drug the unwilling memories up. "A…quar..ius." She murmured softly, image upon images of the blue haired Water Bearer flashed by until they stopped on the last, heart wrenching image of her closest friend vanishing back into the Spirit World with tears trickling down her cheeks. "Aquarius!" She cried out, running towards the Mermaid Spirit to hug her when she finally became visible to Lucy.  
"Hey Brat." Aquarius greeted her former Key Holder with a wry smile. "Glad to see that you're back to your usual self."  
________________________________________  
"Bright Eyes?" Erik jolted awake immediately from his light doze when he felt Lucy jerk violently in her sleep.  
"Hey," He shook her shoulder in concern when she started thrashing. "Wake up."  
"A…quar…ius." She cried, tears welling up underneath her closed lids and landing on Erik's partially exposed chest.  
Cobra stilled in surprise when he felt the odd sensation of tears landing on him. 'Is Heartfilia having a nightmare?' He started to rub her back awkwardly in an attempt to calm her down. 'Well this isn't working.' He thought sarcastically as Lucy began to shake again. 'Maybe I should stop acting like a darn nurse maid and do something about it instead.'  
With that, Erik carefully pressed his Soul Listening magic forward and into her soul; but stopped perplexed when he hit what felt like a concrete wall in her mind. 'What's going on? She's never been able to block me before. And most people when they are asleep relax their mental barriers, not strengthen them.'  
Narrowing his single eye in fury at the continued resistance, Cobra searched until he found a small chink in Lucy's mental armor and pushed forward into her mind only to be repelled back by some presence.  
'Darn it.' Cobra cursed silently, his lips curling into a snarl. 'I can't reach her or her soul. It's as if something or someone-' He thought darkly. 'Is blocking my connection. Whoever is responsible is going get the beat down of their life. That I can promise.'  
________________________________________  
"Aquarius . . . You're really here." Lucy breathed tearfully as she stepped back from hugging the persnickety Celestial Spirit.  
"Oi," Aquarius placed her hands on her hips. "Are you going to just stand there crying all day or are you going to doing something about that Snake?"  
"Nani?" Lucy tilted her head to the side in puzzlement. "What snake?"  
"Jeez," The Mermaid crossed her arms with a huff. "I leave you alone for two years and you become denser than a rock."  
"I'm not dense!"  
"What was that?!" Aquarius glared heavily at the Stellar Mage.  
"N-nothing." Lucy stuttered in fear at the murderous look etched upon her former Spirit's face.  
"Humph. That's more like it."  
'Whew.' The Blonde blew out a silent sigh of relief. 'I dodged that bullet. But what was she talking about?' She thought deeply, trying to remember if she had seen of felt anything suspicious or snake like. 'Wait! There was that moment at the altar… actually, it reminded me a lot of that Snake in the Chamber of Secrets.'  
"Finally figured it out did you?"  
Lucy nodded, a frown firmly etched on her face. "But I still haven't figured out the whys and the hows."  
"Well I don't exactly know the how," Aquarius began, "But I do know the why. And it makes me want to hurl them into a whirlpool that leads to the deepest, darkest pit in the ocean." She glowered menacingly, her golden aura taking on a dark tint as it became visible.  
'Yikes! I'm just glad that she's angry with the snake not me!' Lucy thought shakily. 'I've been on her bad side before, but she's never looked this murderous!'  
As if hearing the Stellar Mage's thoughts, Aquarius turned her formidable glare on Lucy. "And you, Missy! Don't think that I'm not angry with you! Letting that animal almost get the best of you! Now I want you to get your act together and beat this blasted spell!"  
Lucy's head canted to the side. "Nani? What spell?"  
"Argh! You moron!" Aquarius blasted her with a jet of water from her urn. "The spell that was stealing your life force and trying to take over your soul. And would have succeeded if I hadn't shown up."  
"Wait . . . It was trying to steal my soul?" Lucy coughed out, still trying to get the water out of her lungs. "Why?"  
"Ugh." The Spirit looked up at the star filled heavens with exasperation. "I don't know why I put up with you. But-" She looked back down at her former master. "To know why the creature was attempting to take you over, you must confront it yourself and ask."  
"But how do I do that?" Lucy asked softly, her expression thoughtful.  
"Isn't it obvious?" Aquarius stated. "You do what your guild does best,"  
"Destroy." She finished, a gleam entering her eye.  
"Finally, you're catching on." Aquarius rolled her dark aqua eyes. "I thought you'd never would. It's no wonder why you haven't got a boyfriend."  
"I'm working on it okay!" Lucy snapped defensively.  
"Hah. I'll believe that when I see it." The Mermaid snorted.  
'Ah, it was so nice to see you again Aquarius.' Lucy smiled gently. 'It almost feels as though we are back in time and we're arguing over the usual. I am relieved that you don't blame me for the destruction of your key.'  
Angry ticks marks started appearing on Aquarius's forehead the longer the Blonde just stood there. "What are you waiting around for? A formal invitation?! Get going!" She roared.  
"Yes ma'am!" The Key Holder scrambled to get ready to leave. Only to pause when a thought came to her. "Aquarius? How are you here?"  
"Long ago, just as you were born, I made a promise to Layla to look after any of her children who chose Celestial Spirit Magic. Knowing this, the Spirit King granted me the power to travel to your 'dream', and protect you."  
"Thank you."  
"I still hate your guts!" Aquarius snapped, looking resolutely away from the Heartfilia Heiress as she tried to hide the splash of pink dusting her cheeks. "Even if you are more tolerable than you used to be." She muttered under her breath.  
"I know. But still, thank you for being here. I thought that I would never see you again." Lucy murmured quietly.  
"Humph."  
"Tell the King thanks for me."  
"I will. Now stop dawdling and go kick that blasted snake's butt into oblivion! And if you even think of losing I'll blast you so far into the future that you forget your own name!"  
"Hai!"  
________________________________________  
"Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest intoned for a third time.  
'Huh? I'm back in the wedding? I thought for sure that the Snake would have given up on that scheme.'  
"Say yes Lucy darling."  
"Mom?" Lucy gasped at the sight of her mother standing below her at the altar's steps. "What are you doing here?"  
"It's your wedding. Why wouldn't I be here?" Layla questioned gently, her golden tresses glinting in the soft light of the cathedral.  
Lucy fisted her hand in anger as she realized what the serpent was trying to do. 'Since it couldn't break my will by having me accept, it's now trying to use my own mother to emotionally blackmail me into accepting? Unforgivable.'  
"Lucy? Are you alright dear?"  
"Stop talking."  
"What?" Layla drew back in surprise at her daughter's angered tone. "Lucy, I don't understand. Why are you upset? Your father assured me that you approved of his choice. So why are you so angry?"  
"Stop talking with my mother's voice and face!" Lucy yelled, snapping her hand forward and willing her Fleuve Etoiles to appear and wrap around her "Mother".  
A flicker of fear crossed Layla's face at the sight of the glowing weapon wrapping around her whole body. "Lucy dear, please put down the weapon. You're worrying me." She implored pleadingly. "I don't know why you're acting like this, but I'm sure that we can work it out."  
"You're not my mother!" The Whip Wielder shouted, her eyes blazing in anger. "So stop imitating her!"  
"Inssolent child!" Layla's image warped and reshaped to form an enormous serpentine monster straight from a nightmare; while the scenery shifted from the bright wedding atmosphere to a sprawling, labyrinth like dungeon. "You will pay for disobeying me." The Basilisk hissed, rising up to its full height- flicking its tongue out to try to pinpoint where the Celestial Mage was standing.  
'This is its true form?' Lucy gaped, a mixture of awe and fear warring inside her. 'The bones left over don't do it justice. Its size is monstrous. Just what Wizard cooked up this monstrosity?'  
'Move!' Some instinct urged her just as the serpent dove for her. 'Yikes!' Lucy rolled out of the way. 'It really wants to kill me! I need to find a way to beat this thing! But how do I defeat something that's almost three stories tall?!' She dodged another lunge and whirled out of the way of the snapping jaws. 'Come on brain. Don't fail me now!' Lucy prayed, moving out of the way of yet another attack.  
"Hah!" She cried out as she arched her whip and sent it against the Serpent's scaly hide. 'Darn it! Barely any affect. What else can I do? I don't have my keys, so I can't summon them since this is technically not real. Maybe Star Dress?' Sliding to stop, Lucy focused on remembering the feel of her keys magic; once she had gotten a firm grasp, she yelled, "Star Dress Form: Sagittarius!"  
With a feeble flicker of light, a small glow enveloped her and promptly sputtered out. Lucy released a curse under her breath. 'I almost had it! I think I needed to focus harder and put more magic into it.' That firmly in mind, she tried again with her full imagined might, and this time a full glow surrounded her and dissolved away; leaving Lucy dressed in a twin tailed, high collared coat that left her shoulders and upper back bare, with knee high gold and black boots- the symbol of the Archer appearing on her left shoulder just as a golden recurve bow flashed into existence in her hands.  
Taking the correct stance, Lucy pulled the dark string back with her left hand- an arrow magically fazing onto the string. "Star Shot!" She cried out, letting go and reloading as she flipped across dungeon to evade the now bleeding Basilisk that was barraged with yet another stream of golden projectiles.  
The Monster roared in pain, baring its massive fangs at the panting Mage. "Cursse you human! I will kill you for that!"  
"Not if I kill you first!" Lucy yelled with ferocity she did not think she even possessed. "Now, Star Dress Form: Taurus!" Her outfit warped again. This time turning into a two piece set of a cow hide bikini top and shorts; a single leg coming completely down to her ankles while her hair went up into two buns.  
Lucy's gloved hands tightened around her spiked whip while her black collar with the cowbell jingled lightly with her movement as she lunged forward to strike at the wounded snake. "Earth Wave!"  
As soon as the Basilisk was off balance, she changed into Capricorn's Star Dress- decimating her enemy with a rapid flurry of powerful punches all over the underside of the Serpent's body.  
Lucy pulled back her fist and coated it with raw power and hurled it forward with all of her might; obliterating the Reptile to smithereens.  
"I . . . Won" She dropped down to the ground in exhaustion. "I actually… won…" Lucy slurred, her body succumbing to the beckoning darkness.  
________________________________________  
Cobra jolted awake for the third time that morning as an explosion of golden power knocked him into one of the walls. "Darn that hurt." He hissed through his teeth, swiveling his eye to find the source of his pain. Erik froze in shock when he pinpointed the cause. "Heartfilia?!"  
He raised an arm to shield his face as another blast exploded and then receded. "What the heck is going on?" Erik grimaced as blood trickled down his forehead.  
________________________________________  
Draco Malfoy jumped from his bed with a curse as a second explosion rocked the Slytherin common room and caused rocks to crumble and almost hit Draco as well as his two companions. "Get up!" He shouted at Crabbe and Goyle- drawing out his wand to forcibly move them when a chunk of the sealing split off and was about to drop on the dazed Wizards who just stared at the stone in fear.  
"Blast it you two worthless idiots! Move next time!" The Malfoy heir snapped.  
The two boys nodded mutely.  
"Ugh. Useless morons." Draco muttered as raced out of his room in only a pair of loose fitted black pants. "Out of the way!" He barked at anyone obscuring his path.  
Draco came to a sudden halt at the sight that awaited him once he pushed his way through the crowd of students. "What in the blazes is going on?!" He spat, his gray eyes taking in the golden haired blonde hovering several feet above ground glowing a brilliant shade of gold and then to the rising figure of Cobra.  
"We don't know." Pansy Perkins answered shakily.  
"Well what do you know?"  
"I'm sorry Drakie." She reached over to grasp the nearly white haired boy's arm. "But when I came out that Cobra guy was on the ground and the blonde bimbo was floating in midair."  
He looked down at his arm in disgust. "So that's all?"  
"Yes." Pansy simpered coyly.  
"Then let go of me." Draco replied coolly.  
"Drakie, I don't understand."  
"And you don't have to." He pried her fingers off his arm a walked over to the gently floating woman and stopped short. "You there, tell me what happened here." Draco ordered sharply at the scarred Mage standing motionless a few feet from the Blonde.  
Erik's lips trembled as he repressed the snarl that wanted to burst out at the presumptuous pipsqueak's order. 'I take orders from no one. Those days are over.'  
"Oi! Are you deaf? I asked you a question!"  
Cobra glared darkly at the Slytherin. "I heard you loud and clear, Gaki."  
"Then answer the blasted question!"  
"I don't-" Erik stopped mid-sentence when his ears picked up a previously unheard noise.  
"What's going on with you?" Draco crossed his arms over his bare chest indignantly. 'Is this guy dumb or something?'  
"I would get down." The Slayer spoke evenly but quietly.  
"What?" Draco turned his head to look at Cobra. "What did you just say?"  
"I said," Erik began, only to pause when the pulsing from Lucy grew more intense. "Get Down!" He lunged towards the Wizard and rolled them behind the remains of the couch just in time for another shock wave to occur.  
When the detonation finished, Draco jerked himself from Cobra's loose grip with a huff. "Let go of me, you freak."  
"Ungrateful little brat." Erik muttered in Fioreian as he got up too; looking warily around at his surroundings.  
Draco took in ruined common room once again and marched over to the still Mage and jabbed his finger into his fellow Slytherin's chest. "Alright. I've had enough of your lies. Tell me what's going on or else I am going to call Professor Snape and tell him that all of this is your fault."  
"Foolish Wizard." Cobra rumbled dangerously- seeming to grow in stature to the suddenly terrified student. Preparing to deliver a scathing retort, Erik stopped when he realized with dread that the glowing had stopped- which he was glad for, but so had the sound of Bright Eyes' heart. "Heartfilia!" He abandoned any sort of conversation and raced over to the lax Key Holder lying on her back. "Kuso!" He swore. 'I need to find a way to jump her heart into beating again. Chest compressions?' With no other choice available, Cobra straddled Lucy, something in his mind saying he was doing it wrong, but he snarled at that part of himself and tilted her chin back, checking her air ways to make sure that they were clear; and then began to push against her chest in a steady beat. Breathing air into her mouth every thirty compressions. 'Come on Bright Eyes. Breathe.'  
When her heart stubbornly refused to restart, his mind whirled as it tried to find a solution. 'If Lightning Rod was here maybe he could shock her heart back into beating. But by the time someone found him, I have a feeling it would be too late.' He grimaced. 'And I doubt any of these worthless pieces of trash know anything about healing. Darn it! She's fading. I can't just sit here and watch her die! There has to be something that I can do!' He growled soundlessly as the feelings of being helpless rose up.  
"Use your magic…" A deep voice whispered.  
Erik stiffened in shock and momentarily paused in shock. 'You! You're the one from earlier!'  
"Indeed. But none of that matters. If you do not act soon, your Celestial Mage will perish."  
"No! I will not allow that to happen!" Cobra snarled out loud- many of the crowding students jumped back in fear at the visceral sound.  
"…Then follow what I say very closely."  
After a second of listening to the voice's directions and warnings, Cobra stopped his compressions and leaned down, taking a deep breath as he lowered his mouth to Heartfilia's throat; his elongated canines brushing her already pale skin. 'Well, it's all or nothing.' He steeled himself and bit down- injecting his deadly poison directly into her blood. And by extension, her heart.  
Lucy's body arched upward in an automatic response as the toxic fluid from Erik's fangs reached her heart, making it beat faintly before falling silent again.  
'It's working. But she needs more. And I refuse to lose her. If she dies, so does my hope of my prayer ever being answered.' He thought as he bit down deeper to inject more of his venom.  
'The voice was right. Her body does have an instinctual response to my poison. I'm glad.' Erik gently removed his fangs from Lucy's now pulsing throat and sat up. Not even noticing the bloodstains dripping down his mouth. 'Now here comes the part I have a feeling that Heartfilia would cringe at.'  
With a weary sigh, he brought his wrist up to his mouth and bit down. Barely even wincing at the sharp pain as he drew away and dribbled his blood into her mouth. 'But she will not live if I don't do this.' His eye darkened as he pinched her nose shut- forcing her to swallow the blood that would act as an anti-venom to all the lethal doses of poison Cobra had injected directly into her jugular.  
"Nngh…" Lucy moaned in relief. Her previously boiling temperature lowering the more Cobra forced her to drink his blood.  
Heaving a heartfelt sigh, Erik slowly lifted himself up. Ignoring the stunned stares as he picked up Lucy's warmer than normal body and headed out of the destroyed common room and towards where he smelled the Sky Healer. 'Even though I cured her of my poison, there could still be other, harmful problems as well. I just took care of the most pressing one.'  
________________________________________  
Getting up dazedly, Draco felt some type of primordial fear well up in him as his mind flashed back to the scene that had just occurred. "What . . . just happened?" He rasped, his limbs still shaking from the adrenaline. Sadly for him, there was not an answer for him inside the Slytherin House.  
"What happened?!" Snape thundered as he came sweeping in a loose black tunic and pants. Coming to abrupt halt as he registered the amount of damage done to the House.  
After being forced to listen to stuttering replies, The Head of the House finally whirled over to the stunned Draco. "What happened here?"  
"It-" Draco wetted his lips and cleared his throat. Trying to regain his shattered composure. "It was those Fairy Tailers. They did this."  
Snape narrowed his black eyes to slits. "Explain."  
"That blonde haired chick kept causing all these quakes and the Cobra guy was no help. And when they had finished, he bloody bit the chick and then fed her his blood. What is he, a bloody vampire?!"  
"Quite!" Snape ordered. "I expect all of this to be repaired before breakfast. And if I come back before everything is fixed," A nasty smirk flitted across his face. "I will slap you with so much detention that you won't have any time to even sleep. Much less eat." With that said, he began to sweep out of the destroyed common room with a sneer.  
"What? Aren't you going to help us?" Blaise Zabini protested.  
"No. And for protesting, a week of detention Mister Zabini."  
Apparently, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was not a morning person.  
________________________________________  
Cobra shifted Lucy to a more comfortable position in his arms as he came to the top of the last set of stairs that had Wendy's scent coating them. 'Is this it? Is their common room really hidden behind a painting a fat old lady?' He snorted derisively. 'Wizards.' "Oi, you, wake up."  
"Huh?!" The Fat Lady awoke with a start after a not so gentle kick from Erik's boot. "How rude." She sniffed. "And do you know just how early it is?!"  
"Yes. Now let me in."  
"Say the password." She intoned. Still miffed about the kick.  
"Mimbionna." He snapped impatiently. "Now open the darn painting."  
"Alright, alright. No need to be feisty now." The Fat Lady opened her painting, muttering under her breath about children these days.  
Without waiting, Cobra swept into the warm common room and set the blonde on the red lion clawed couch. "I'll be right back." He lightly ghosted his fingers across her forehead before jogging light footedly up the curved stone steps and into the girls' dormitory only to be swept back down. "Darn it!" He swore, picking himself back up. "Blasted Wizards."  
Calming himself down forcibly, Erik took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Feeling slightly calmer, he swept his Soul Magic up the stairs and into the forbidden dormitory. 'There she is.' His eye snapped open.  
After pinpointing the Bluenette, Cobra brought down his magic on his and woke her up instantly.  
"Who's there?" He heard her whisper softly.  
"Marvel, can you come downstairs? Bright Eyes needs medical attention."  
"Cobra-san?!" Wendy jumped out of bed immediately and raced down the winding staircase and came to a sudden halt at the sight of Lucy lying prone on the couch. "Lucy-nee! What happened to her?" She demanded.  
Cobra shrugged, his expression troubled. "I don't know."  
"Okay. Thanks for bringing her to me. But could you do me a favor and get Natsu-kun for me?" She glanced at the fellow Slayer out of the corner of her eye.  
Erik chuckled darkly as he caught a part of her thought train. "If you want me out of your hair, you can just say so."  
Wendy bit her lip sheepishly. "Sumimasen Cobra-san."  
"It's fine." He turned away and started walking up the stairs with a brisk pace but paused when her voice reached him again.  
"That wasn't the only reason. I also wanted him here to help light the area." Wendy murmured quietly, knowing that he would hear it.  
Cobra inclined his head and hurried up his pace.________________________________________Chapter Thirteen-  
Harry kept his breathing as slow and soft as he could when he woke up from his sleep. "Accio, glasses." He whispered as quietly as he could; glad beyond measure that he had started sleeping with his wand underneath his pillow.  
"Salamander, wake up." A voice unfamiliar to Harry rasped quietly.  
"I don't wanna get outa bed Lucy…" Natsu groaned sleepily.  
Harry had the strangest inkling that both he and the mysterious stranger had about the same facial expressions of, "what the heck?" Etched on their faces.  
Hearing a low growl and a quiet mutter that sounded a lot like a curse, Harry jumped, and scrambled to push aside the heavy red and gold curtain just as an audible crunch occurred, sending the pink haired Dragneel sprawling out on floor next to the now identifiable Cobra. 'Wait… isn't he in Slytherin? How the heck did he get in here?'  
Natsu leaped up, off the floor to push his face into Cobra's threateningly. "What was that for, Jerk Face? Are you looking for a fight?"  
Cobra merely raised a hand and placed it on Natsu's too close face, and pushed it away with an irritated growl. "Not now Salamander."  
'Salamander?' Harry wondered silently. 'Why would that Slytherin call Dragneel that? Maybe if I listen closely, I can find something out about this new school.'  
"-The Sky Sorceress needs your help healing Heartfilia."  
Harry thought he saw Dragneel's ashy eyes widen before they narrowed into slits- his right fist slamming into his palm with a burst of fire.  
"Who did it? Who hurt Lucy?" He uttered dangerously, flames rising to envelop him in a scorching inferno.  
"I'm not sure. But I have a good idea what may have caused it." Cobra glowered darkly, his single eye seeming to glow red in the dim lighting.  
The Wizard watching, suppressed a shiver at the demonic looks on both of the men's face. 'Just what are they? And why is Dragneel on fire? Shouldn't he be burning?'  
"Who's the bastard that I need to pound?"  
"Calm down Salamander. The Sky Sorceress needs your help healing Bright Eyes."  
As if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him, Natsu's brilliant flames flickered out. "Right. Take me to Luce."  
'What's up with these people? Someone who is able to envelop himself in flames without repercussions? What's going on?' Harry thought incredulously. Watching as they stealthily moved from the room, he scrambled out of his four poster bed and slid his feet into his slippers- intent on following them. 'But first…' He reached for his Invisibility cloak and put it on; walking after the two Mages quickly after he managed to cover himself with the satiny fabric.  
Being careful to tread softly, Harry walked as fast as he dared to keep pace with their ground eating pace.  
Freezing abruptly, Harry held as still as possible when the One-eyed Slytherin came to an unexpected halt.  
"Cobra, what's wrong?" Natsu asked in puzzlement, looking behind himself as well.  
Harry, for one heart stopping moment, thought that Cobra could see him.  
The Slayer ran a hand through his maroon hair with a sigh. "It's nothing Salamander. I just think my hearing is on the fritz."  
"And why's that?"  
"In the Slytherin common room, Bright Eyes exploded with magical energy for a lack of a better word. And since then I've had trouble hearing."  
Natsu winced in sympathy. "Ouch. I've had that happen before."  
The mood was broken when Cobra snorted and shook his head with a slight smirk; for the time being forgetting about his worry. "Like you're one to talk. You deafened me with your roar when we fought during the Nirvana incident!"  
Natsu's glared at Erik. "And you did the same thing to me when I fought you during the Infinity Clock!"  
"Do you really think that I would let the same move that beat me before, take me down me for a second time?!"  
"Well . . . Kinda." Natsu scratched at his cheek sheepishly.  
Erik just stared at him for second, shook his head and continued walking.  
'Is this what a third wheel feels like?' Harry wondered awkwardly. 'If so, I now know how they feel. Awkward, invisible, and completely, and utterly out of the loop.'  
________________________________________  
Harry stifled a gasp when he saw Lucy Heartfilia's pale, drawn body.  
Her chest heaving up and down rapidly- perspiration beading up on her normally luminous cream skin.  
Natsu's next words summarized what Harry was thinking precisely.  
"What the heck happened to her?!" The Slayer hissed, his eyes alight with the flames that wanted to manifest.  
Erik crouched beside Lucy and gently, with almost reverent fingers, tucked a stray piece of blonde hair that had fallen into her face behind her ear. "I not sure. But I think that wound-" He nodded at the now unwrapped wound that Wendy was looking at, at Cobra's behest. "-has something to with it."  
"What caused this?" Wendy peered closer. "Natsu-kun, could you shine some light on this? I can't get a clear enough look at this."  
Natsu nodded and brought his now lit palm next to where the wound was.  
This time Harry did jump when he saw Dragneel light up his hand with a low burning fire as if it was the most normal thing ever. 'Is he doing wandless Magic?'  
Stiffening, Natsu inhaled deeply a couple of times, his nose twitching as he leaned down closer to get a better scent. "This smells like poison." His brow crinkled. "Actually, two different types of poison. One almost smells magical. It almost reminds me of your Snake's poison; while the other one … smells like you, Cobra." He looked at Erik inquisitively. Knowing that he did not smell any emotions that would signify that the Poison Dragon Slayer had done anything harmful to his friend.  
'How in the blazes does he know that?!' Harry goggled at Natsu through his cloak. 'Don't tell me he's a Werewolf! Professor Lupin didn't say that his nose was that sensitive!'  
Cobra's resulting sigh brought the young Wizard back to reality.  
"Something within me told me it would work. Besides that, I have no clue why I did what I did."  
"I think I know why." Wendy stated, looking up from her evaluation of Lucy.  
'She does?' Harry questioned. 'I sure as heck don't. In fact, I don't understand how this guy can even use poison! From what I've seen, Dragneel uses flames and this Cobra guy wields some type of poison.' After brain storming, Harry finally groaned internally. 'Alright, I give up. This is Hermione's job. Not mine.'  
"I have a feeling that whatever caused this wound had deadly toxin on it and when Cobra-san figured that out, I bet he knew that the only way to draw out the poison was if he were to intermingle his and combine the two. After that, I imagine that you called back your poison; and the other nefarious toxin too."  
Cobra's lips tilted upward slightly. "Correct."  
'That's it. I think my brain just broke.' Harry moaned after trying to make sense of Marvel's words and failing. Miserably. The only result he got from it all was a raging headache.  
"That was pretty smart of you." Natsu slapped him on the back good naturedly.  
"Unlike you, I actually use my brain."  
"Hey! I use my brain!"  
Erik shot the Dragon Slayer a look that said, "Really?" loud and clear.  
"Gentleman…!" Carla scolded them. "Stop bickering! Wendy cannot concentrate when you blather on like that."  
'Is… that a talking cat?' Harry pinched himself, hard. 'Nope.' He winced. 'Definitely not dreaming. So there really is a white, talking cat.'  
"Carla! You should be resting."  
The Exceed snorted lightly. "As if I could even dream of sleeping while those two buffoons are arguing."  
'Well, this cat sure is opinionated. Actually, wasn't she one of those cats that came flying in during Snape's class?' A thought suddenly occurred to him. 'Does this mean that this snotty, aristocratic feline can fly as well as talk?' He yelped internally, silently bemoaning his life. 'When did my life become so complicated?' A thought dawned on him. 'Oh, right. That probably happened when a giant busted down that shack's door and told me I was a Wizard. Right. I have no reason to judge. None at all.'  
________________________________________  
"So what's actually wrong with Luce?" Natsu asked, finally realizing, that with all the excitement, he had forgotten to ask what was wrong with his friend.  
'Something I'd like to know too.' Harry agreed silently from his place next to the blue haired healer.  
"Cobra-san," Wendy looked up from her healing to look at the tanned Slayer steadily. "If I keep Lucy-nee stable and heal some of the minor wounds, could you recount what happened?"  
Apparently hearing something in the bluenette's soul that he agreed on, Erik grunted in reply. "Alright. You'd better get comfy. This is going to take a while."  
Despite his tired legs, Harry leaned forward to hear better. He too, was curious about what had happened to the gorgeous blonde Slytherin that had saved his life yesterday.  
Cobra settled himself against the front of the couch, one knee pulled up to rest his elbow on. The leg laid extended on the floor; almost brushing up against Harry's Cloak. Which almost caused the black haired boy a minor heart attack. "As I'm sure that you heard, that annoying ghost professor kicked Bright Eyes and Me out of his dull class- which I was actually glad about. Heartfilia however…" He drawled off in amusement. "Was less than pleased."  
"So… what got you guys kicked out?" Natsu asked from his cross legged position on the floor- his hand still flickering with a ball of flame.  
Erik let out a bemused snort. "Bright Eyes didn't like the bet I made with Titania and vice versus."  
"And what bet was that?" Carla inquired archly.  
A fanged smirk lit Cobra's scarred visage. "Whether or not I could poison a ghost."  
Harry nearly fell down in shock. The urge to either laugh or sputter in shock warring inside him. 'Say what?! That's ludicrous! You can't poison a ghost! Though Lord knows how many have tried.'  
"Heh! Sounds fun!" Natsu cracked his knuckles. A maniacal grin on his face. "I'm all fired up!"  
"Are you insane?" Carla shrieked, her fur puffed up. "That's a human life you're talking about. You just go around destroying whomever you please!"  
"Put a sock in it She-cat. You're hurting my ears."  
"What's all the racket about?" Happy asked, rubbing his heavy lidded eyes.  
"That is something I would like to know as well." Pantherlily interjected too, his commanding voice rough with sleep.  
"Happy! Pantherlily!" Natsu grinned happily for a moment before turning somber once more. "We were trying to heal Lucy."  
"Why are you…?" Happy trailed off, tears instantly springing to his black orbs when he saw his blonde haired friend lying prone on the couch. "Lushy…" He mumbled.  
"Wh-what happened to her?"  
Despite his initial wariness at seeing two other, walking- talking cats, Harry felt his heart go out to the blue furred feline. 'Poor guy. It seems that he's fond of Heartfilia. It must be really hard to see her like this.'  
"Sorry we woke you. But we're not entirely sure either." Wendy apologized softly. Not looking up from her task. "Cobra-san-?"  
"I hear ya." Cobra interrupted with a weary sigh. "Long story short, we found this hidden tunnel underneath the school located in a bathroom on the third floor-"  
'Wait, the abandoned restroom on the third floor?' Harry's eyes widened marginally behind his glasses. 'Could it be…?'  
"While we were in there, I heard a strange voice."  
"What kind of voice?" Wendy questioned, her hands glowing a light aqua color as they hovered over Lucy's chest.  
"It sounded muffled. And we found out why later. Anyway," He shook his head. "We found an entry way that led into the tunnel."  
'A tunnel?' Harry thought, his heart beating rapidly. 'Did they find the Chamber of Secrets? And so easily?'  
"And? What happened after that?" Pantherlily questioned, his orange eyes thoughtful.  
Erik lifted his shoulders in a non-chalant motion. "We jumped."  
"Just like that?" Carla asked dubiously.  
"Just like that. And after we walked through the tunnel for a few hours, we finally came to door that had snakes wrapped around it."  
"Real snakes?" Wendy squeaked.  
The Poison Slayer shot the young bluenette an exasperated look. "Of course not. Though we did find some molts in the tunnel as we were walking."  
"You did?"  
'Jeez…' Cobra rolled his eye. 'Bright Eyes is afraid of spiders, and it seems that the Little One is terrified snakes. Go figure. It's a small miracle that she didn't start screaming bloody murder when she saw Cubellios during the Nirvana incident. Or maybe that's why she's afraid of snakes…' "Yep. And that's not all. Remember the voice I heard?"  
At the affirmative nods, he continued. "It turns out that it belonged to the snake that lived in there while it was alive."  
"Sōka." Natsu commented. "So that was the voice you heard."  
'Wow. He actually figured it out. I didn't think Flame Brain had it in him.' Erik thought in surprise. "Correct. But that wasn't all."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Suffice to say, the soul of that snake was attracted to the luminance of Bright Eyes' soul."  
"It was?!" Wendy looked up sharply at her fellow Slayer. 'That would explain the darkness around her…'  
"I was able to block its oily presence, but I'm not sure if I actually succeeded." He frowned, still puzzling over what had happened.  
"I've got a question." Happy stepped forward, his countenance oddly serious for once. And with Cobra's acquiescent glare, he continued. "Why didn't it go after you?"  
"How the heck should I know, fur ball?"  
"Ano…" Wendy interrupted hesitantly. "I think that I may have the answer to that."  
All eyes swung to her.  
The Bluenette felt her face flush red and her magic falter for second before she stabilized it. "W-well it's just that Cobra-san use to be a Dark Mage. Whereas Lucy-nee is a Light Mage."  
"And you think that the taint on my soul protected me?" Erik guessed correctly.  
'Wait, he's a Dark Magic User?' Harry's emerald eyes were wide behind his round glasses. 'If that's true, then does this mean that their school is evil? That doesn't make sense though. Marvel called Heartfilia a Light Magic User. Just what is going on? And what's with all this Mage stuff? Aren't they Wizards, like me?'  
"Yes. I also wonder if it was attracted to her because of the magic she wields."  
"Too bad we couldn't test your theory."  
"Test?" Her head tilted to side in confusion. "How could we do that?"  
Cobra waved his hand half-heartedly from atop his knee. "Don't worry about it."  
"Hey! Don't just start to say something then stop!" Natsu shouted- only to yelp a second later when a ball of poison was hurdled at him. "Oi! What was that for, jerk?" He growled, dodging the fast attack by a millisecond.  
'I felt like it.' "You were being too darn loud. And you were interrupting me."  
"You weren't talking!"  
"Honestly fire breather…" Carla sighed, putting down her teacup. "Let the poor man speak."  
Natsu sat down with huff and stared poutingly at the partially melted stone floor.  
Meanwhile Harry could help but feel a shaken at the display he had just seen. 'He … shot acid. Out of hand at Dragneel like it was nothing. Not only that, but it melted through part of the stone. I've seen Fred and George set off rockets on this floor and they didn't even dent it! How can Wizards have this type of power?' Harry started to shake his head but stopped when his hood started to slide off. 'Crap!' He hissed, tensing in freight when the narrowed amethyst eye swung his way. 'Did he see me?'  
He breathed out a sigh of relief when Cobra turned away and started talking again. 'Gosh that was intense. I felt like he was walking over my grave.'  
'That was odd.' Erik thought suspiciously as he continued to talk about what happened. 'I could've sworn I just heard an unfamiliar soul. And it was close. But it disappeared as fast as it came.' "-And then Bright Eyes tripped and fell on this thing's bones; causing that puncture wound that Marvel healed."  
"The one that you used your Poison to counteract?" Wendy asked curiously.  
He grunted his affirmative and continued. "After that, her maid came out, cleaned up the wound and returned. I started to suspect that there was something wrong with her injury when she passed out-"  
"She lost consciousness?" Wendy's head snapped up again. "How long after was it?"  
"Less than six minutes."  
Her chocolate eyes went wide. "It took only a few minutes?! It must have had really potent venom while it was alive."  
Harry rubbed his arm as phantom pain pulsed in his long since healed arm. 'It's a miracle that Heartfilia's still alive. I barely survived when I got bitten by the Basilisk. And I would have died if it hadn't been for Fawkes. I wonder if she has some type of immunity to poison…?'  
"Anyway," Cobra's sigh brought the sable haired Wizard back to reality. "When I noticed Bright Eyes' fever, I gave her some of my poison in the hope that it would counteract the other poison."  
"And it did, right?" Natsu questioned, his head leaning on his fist as he watched the ex-convict.  
Erik's features tightened. "Yes." He answered shortly.  
"Then why are you beating yourself up about it?"  
"Because I couldn't save her when she was dying!"  
The whole room went utterly silent in the wake of Cobra's heatedly shouted words. "Cobra-san…" Wendy began slowly, her instincts warning her that something was wrong. And it had everything to do with the Second Generation Dragon Slayer now towering over the sitting group of Fairy Tail Mages. "If you didn't help Lucy, then who did?"  
He ran a hand through his maroon locks in aggravation. "It was some voice in my head."  
Natsu and Wendy exchanged slightly puzzled yet knowing looks.  
"What is it?"  
"It's just… that-"  
Erik's mouth turned down in a scornful frown when he heard what the small bluenette was trying to say. "Surely you're joking."  
Wendy bit her lip and slowly shook her head no.  
He snorted. "So basically, you're saying because I have Dragon Slaying magic, I will have some voice in my head telling me what to do?"  
Harry just stared and tried to figure out what the heck was going on. 'Are they for real?!' He thought incredulously. 'Voices in their heads; Dragon Slayers; and weird magic?'  
Seeing that Wendy was having trouble explaining, Natsu decided to help. "It's not exactly a voice."  
"Then what is it?" Derision practically dripped from Cobra's words.  
"It's more like an animal's instinctive side that warns them of danger or other things."  
"Really?" His expression turned sardonic. "Because mine actually spoke."  
"Perhaps it has to do with the fact that you are a Second Generation Dragon Slayer and they are First Generation." Pantherlily stepped forward into the conversation.  
"That's right!" Happy raised his paw as if he had just had an epiphany. "You weren't taught your Slaying Magic by a dragon. You had a Dragon Lacrima implanted."  
'Implanted?' Harry winced at the sound of that. 'Why would someone implant magic?' A thought spawned from watching too many horror films suddenly popped up. 'Unless… he's like some weird, magical cyborgtic Frankenstein!' He mentally face palmed. 'What the heck am I thinking?'  
"Excuse me," Carla cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. "Why don't we let the man finish his story in peace so that Wendy can fully heal her? Then you simpletons can work this spat out to your heart's content. Just not when the life of one our friends is at stake."  
"Right," They responded, looking properly chastised. "Please continue."  
Erik almost raised an eyebrow at this, but abstained and continued speaking uninterrupted until his got to the part where Bright Eyes became a living bomb and detonated inside the common room.  
"Was anyone hurt?!"  
Cobra shook his head. "I don't think so. But then again, I was trying to ignore the blinding pain in my head and recover from being blown several times into the wall in quick succession." He pointed out dryly.  
"Right… moving on…" Everyone sweat-dropped when they realized the stupidity of their question.  
"Anyway," He sighed, knowing what was coming next and dreading telling them about it. "Once Bright Eyes finally stopped exploding randomly with power, I realized after a few seconds that I couldn't hear her heart." His fist clenched as the helpless emotions raced through him in a fiery, all consuming trail; and his eye flickering with untold pain. 'It was then that I realized I would be lost if she were to die. It would be like Cubellios all over again. Somehow, in the time that I've gotten to know her, she has embedded herself so deeply into my soul, that there is no going back. A part of my soul would leave with her. Forever shattered.'  
"It was then, after a minute of futile resuscitation techniques that my 'inner dragon' spoke."  
Natsu watched Cobra carefully, something in his gaze said that he had an inkling of what had happened. And he did not like one bit. "What did he say?"  
"He told me to bind our magic and souls together."  
Fury rose up in Igneel's son so fast, and so consuming that he did not even remember slamming his fellow Dragon Slayer into the wall. "You did what?!" He snarled viciously, flames coating the both of them as dark red scales began to appear on his body one by one.  
Not even flinching at the fire, Erik stared into Natsu's blazing eyes and said in a dangerously soft tone, "Release me."  
The Salmon haired Mage growled darkly and pushed Cobra harder against the cracking wall. "Tell me what you did to Lucy!"  
"Natsu-kun!" Wendy cried out, trying to make him stop. "Please Stop! Cobra-san didn't have a choice!"  
'What's going on?' Harry stared at the feral Mage in shock. 'It's like he's a completely deferent person! Not even Marvel can get through to him.'  
"Na..tsu…" A hoarse groan issued from Lucy's throat. "Please… stop…"  
In a flash, Natsu had dropped Cobra and was by the blonde's side instantly. "Lucy." He said gutturally, his draconic eyes sweeping over her in concern as his clawed hands clasped her cold ones gently. "Lucy?" His questioned in panic when she did not respond. "Lucy, what's wrong?"  
"She fell unconscious again." Cobra stated, picking himself off of the floor.  
"You-" Natsu started to growl, only stop when Wendy quickly grabbed his wrist.  
"Wait Natsu-kun!"  
Not wanting to hurt the smaller Dragon Slayer, Natsu stood still and let Wendy speak.  
"If Cobra-san hadn't done what he did, Lucy-nee would have died within minutes!"  
Wide, horrified orbs stared at the bluenette in shock; Natsu's previous wrath all but doused at the revelation. "What…?" He croaked. "Luce… would've… died?"  
"Hai." She responded softly, releasing the now calm Mage's wrist and turned to look at Cobra who was rubbing his bruising throat absently with one hand. "Arigatō Cobra-san." She bowed deeply, her loose blue hair sliding forward with the motion. "Without your sacrifice, Lucy-nee would have died."  
"Sacrifice? What are you talking about?"  
She looked up in surprise. "Your dragon didn't explain what would happen if you bound yourself to Lucy-nee?"  
Erik drew back in confusion. "What? No. All he said was to inject my poison into her and give some of my blood so she wouldn't die."  
"If I may ask, what all did he tell you?" Wendy asked hesitantly, her fists clenched against her chest as she watched the varying emotions cross the Listening Mage's face.  
He watched the Sky Dragon Slayer warily. "Just that if I combined our magicks, she would live. Why? What else was there that I should know?"  
"It's just that-"  
"You mated her." Natsu stated flatly.  
"Mated her..?" 'Does that mean what I think it does?' Cobra wondered suspiciously.  
"It means that you basically tied your lives together, forever."  
"What?" His eye went wide as he jerked involuntary in horrified surprise.  
"What do you guys mean?" Happy asked in confusion.  
"Isn't it obvious?" Seeing the blue Exceed's befuddled expression, Carla gave one large exhale and explained in plainer terms. "It means that he basically married her. And there is no way to separate the two of them. They're stuck for life."  
"Lushy got married?!" Happy eyes boggled. "Wait till Mira or Erza hears that! They'll cry buckets of tears!" He snickered.  
"Don't."  
That single, sharply spoken word from Cobra, caused everyone to look at him in question.  
"Don't tell anyone." His expression darkened as he curled his hand into fist at his side; gazing at Lucy's unconscious visage unseeingly. "I don't want Lucy to know. Or anyone else for that matter."  
"Why?" Wendy asked softly.  
"Because," He sighed. "I want Bright Eyes to love me of her own free will. Not because of some stupid bond. And knowing Heartfilia, she would think of it that way. So," Cobra looked around at everyone present. Holding eye contact for a minute before looking at the next person. "I would like your word that you will not speak of this to anyone. Even between yourselves."  
Wendy slowly nodded and smiled gently. "Alright. You have my word Cobra-san. I will not breathe a word of this to anyone."  
"I am with Wendy." Carla stated firmly next to Wendy. Turning towards the silently watching Poison Dragon Slayer with approval gleaming in her usual condescending gaze, the Seer said, "I will support you in any of your endeavors to win Lucy's heart."  
"Thanks." A wry smile touched Erik's lips.  
"I too, will keep this silent. Neither Gajeel nor anyone else will not hear a word of this from me." Pantherlily stated from his spot on the coffee table.  
Cobra nodded and turned to Natsu and waited for his response with an arched brow. Knowing that he was going to be the hardest to convince.  
Natsu clenched his hands and slowly opened his eyes and stared directly into Erik's eye with an unfathomable expression upon his face. "You have my word that I will say not anything. And that goes for Happy as well."  
"Thank you."  
"I'm not doing it for you."  
'Then who is he doing it for?' Harry wondered silently. More than slightly overwhelmed by the whole affair. 'All of this is so… unbelievable. From all the talk about 'Inner Dragons' to Mates. Wait,' He mentally snapped his fingers. 'This reminds of what happened yesterday at breakfast. When Ron called Dragneel his…mate.' Suddenly red covered his entire face as he remembered what the white cat had said that mates were to them. 'Oh gosh Ron.' He groaned. 'No wonder Dragneel reacted like he did. You called yourself his significant other.'  
"I'm doing it for Luce. I want the best for her. So I will not interfere." With that said Natsu stalked out of the common room and broke into a run as soon as he was out of sight and kept running- not even stopping when he came to the edge of the high astronomy tower.  
As he fell, he created wings of fire and when he landed, he continued to run until his lungs felt they were burning just as much as his eyes were. 'Lucy . . .'  
"Natsu…" Happy whispered, starting to move after his long gone partner.  
Pantherlily laid a paw on top of the blue Exceed's shoulder and shook his head no. "Let him go."  
"Okay." 'Natsu…' He thought worriedly. 'Please be alright.'  
'What… what was that about?' Harry blinked in puzzlement. 'It almost looked like Dragneel was in pain. Could it be…?'  
Erik grimaced as if he felt some phantom pain. Rubbing a hand across his chest, he addressed the bluenette. "Now that you know everything, what do think is wrong with her?"  
"I have a theory, but I want you to confirm something for me." At his confirming nod, she continued. "You said that the explosion that happened were all gold? Right?"  
"Yes."  
"Hmm…" She bit her lip in thought. "Then I think I know what's wrong her?"  
"And?"  
"Well, besides the few fractured ribs that I healed, I noticed that it wasn't just her magic that was almost entirely depleted. It was her soul."  
"What?" Cobra reeled back in shock. "How the heck could that have happened?"  
"That's another theory I have."  
"Mind sharing them?"  
Completely ignoring Erik's snarky comment, Wendy explained her reasoning. "I think that whatever was happening in Lucy-nee's mind, she tried to tap into her magic and-"  
"Used her soul instead." He finished for her.  
"Yes." If Wendy minded being repeatedly interrupted, she did not show it.  
"Then those explosions were a result of her using her own life force to fight off whatever attacked her."  
"I believe so."  
Harry's bespectacled eyes flicked back and forth from the navy haired mage to the scarred mage with a gaping mouth as he listened to them speak in turns. 'If I didn't know any better I would think that they were reading each other's mind.'  
"Then what my dragon told me-"  
"Was true." Wendy finished for him, her features grim. "If you hadn't made Lucy-nee your mate and shared a part of your soul, she would have died."  
"Tell me something," Erik looked down at his palm. "Do I have some of Bright Eyes' soul in me?"  
"Yes."  
"Sōka." He closed his eye briefly. Attempting to feel for the new addition inside him; gasping when he felt a small, flickering glow that somehow felt like Lucy. "I can feel her…" He whispered in wonder.  
A gentle smile lit the Sky Slayer's face. "Grandine told me that having a Mate is a wonderful thing. It can be painful too, but having a mate-" She searched for the right word. "-Is like having your soul completed. You are never alone. Their presence keeps us calm. And it empowers us. There is no force greater than a dragon who is protecting the one they love."  
"I see." Erik murmured, his mind churning over the bluenette's words. 'Could it be? Has my prayer is finally being answered?'  
"So please Cobra-san," Wendy bowed imploringly to the Poison Dragon Slayer. "Cherish Lucy-nee with everything that you have. Do not take her for granted."  
He ruffled her hair. "Don't worry. I won't."  
"Good." She smiled again. "Now let's take a look at Lucy-nee and see if we can find a way to speed up her recovery."  
________________________________________  
Natsu sank to his knees as he panted, sweat dripping down his forehead as he tried to regain his lost breath. 'Why do I feel like this? It wasn't like I really liked Luce in that sense. Sure I liked her. Who couldn't? She's Lucy. So why? Why does my heart feel like it has been ripped in half?'  
"Ano . . ." A hesitant feminine voice questioned softly.  
His attention immediately snapped to where the voice was, and as soon as Natsu got a clear look at the source, he felt a blush rise up as he turned away quickly. "Sumimasen." He spat out quickly, rubbing the back of his neck- trying futilely to drive the image of Flare Corona's bathing self out of his mind. Sadly, it was a losing battle.  
"It's alright. You can look. I don't care."  
"That's okay. I'll stay this way." He laughed awkwardly, keeping his body stalwartly faced away from the women behind him.  
A splash was the only warning he got before a pair of arms wrapped around his bare torso in a tight grasp. "Is it because I am I too ugly?" Flare whispered in his ear. Pressing herself enticingly against his back. "Is that why you won't look?"  
Natsu felt himself tense at the touch. "What-" He cleared his suddenly dry throat. "What are doing?"  
"Hugging you." She sounded confused. "Am I doing something wrong?"  
"No. It's just that… you're naked."  
"So?"  
"I'm a guy." Natsu stated, his tone desperate as sweat, not from his several mile long sprint, started to dot his brow.  
"So?" She repeated again. Not getting what the salmon haired Slayer was hinting at.  
'Gah! She doesn't get it!' He gasped in his mind at her apparent denseness. "It's… can you let me go?"  
Flare released him with a puzzled frown. "Natsu-san, what's wrong?"  
"Nothing." He answered quickly.  
"Okay . . ." She tilted her head to side.  
"What are you doing all the way out here?"  
"I was bathing."  
'Ehh?' Natsu thought in surprise. "Don't you have bathes in the Hufflepuff Dormitory?"  
"Yes.." Flare shuffled her feet awkwardly and looked down. "But they are too cramped compared to what I am use too."  
"That's right." He started to turn around out of habit but stopped himself just in time. "You grew up in the Sun Village, right?"  
She nodded.  
He shot her an understanding grin. "I can understand now. I use to be that way too. Sorry I barged in on you. I'll just be going…" Natsu started off towards the castle only to come to a halt when a softly spoken "Wait!" was uttered and two alabaster hands wrapped around his left bicep. "Huh?" He looked down at the appendages in confusion. "Nani?"  
"Wait. Don't go." Flare pleaded quietly, her crimson orbs desperate.  
"What's wrong?"  
"It's just…" She rubbed her index fingers together and then looked up as if she had convinced herself of something, stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck and kissed him.  
'Ehh?!' He jolted in surprise at the feeling of her soft lips on his- falling over in the process. "Oomph!" Natsu exhaled in a rush when his back hit the ground roughly and Flare fell directly on top of him "Flare.. What-?"  
Flare drew back, her face appearing disappointed with his reaction. Or lack thereof. "So… you didn't like it?"  
"What? No, it was great!" Natsu quickly assured her. Having learned that much from being around the semi-insane women of Fairy Tail. "You just caught me by surprise is all."  
"So it was alright?" She asked bashfully, her cheeks infused with red.  
He nodded wordlessly.  
"It was my first kiss." Flare admitted shyly.  
'Ack! How did I get myself in this situation?' Natsu panicked internally. "Why chose me?"  
"I like you…" She drew her nails down his chest in a tantalizing motion- causing him to shiver slightly.  
"Really?" Natsu searched desperately for a way out of this precarious situation; suddenly empathizing with Gray for putting up with Juvia's obsessive affections all the time. "When?"  
Flare hummed and nodded, her loose crimson hair creating a vibrantly colored curtain around them. "After you saved my village, I started following you around. And learning about you. It was such an illuminating time." She said dreamily, staring into Natsu's eyes with stars in hers.  
'Creeeepy! She's just like a red haired Juvia!' "Yeah…" He chuckled uncomfortably. "About that… do you think that could get off of me?"  
"Why?" She cocked her head.  
"Because it's uncomfortable." He lied, inwardly sweating bullets as his mind pointed out, oh so helpfully, that it was the exact opposite.  
Seeming to understand, Flare got off of the Slayer and offered him a hand up.  
"Thanks." He accepted the hand and pulled himself up. "Well, I need to get back. See ya later!" Natsu shouted over his shoulder as he raced away. Sending up fervent prayers of gratitude all the while. 'I'm free!'  
"That was odd…" Flare stared after Natsu's retreating figure in bewilderment. "Did I do something wrong? I did everything that my uncles told me to do…"  
________________________________________  
"That was a nice run. We made good time." Gray commented candidly to Meredy as they walked through the hallways of Hogwarts once again. Only this time there was soft morning light flittering though the windows instead of darkness. "We should do that again."  
"Yeah." Meredy smiled up at her running partner. Pleased with their exercise as well. "We should. It was so nice seeing the sunrise! It was so pretty! Especially from where we were standing! Can we do it again tomorrow?"  
"Umm…" He scratched his head, trying to remember if he had any prior commitments.  
"Please?" She grasped his arm and gave him her puppy dog eyes.  
'Gah! Please don't cry! Anything but crying!' "Sure!" He responded quickly. "I was just trying to remember if I was down for patrolling."  
"Oh, yeah." Her expression brightened considerably. "That reminds me, I'm down for tomorrow's first shift. So I guess I can't run with you." The Pinkette pouted, wiping her face absently.  
"Sorry. Maybe the day after?"  
"That'd be great!" Meredy started to head off to shower and get ready for the day, but stopped in mid-step when she noticed a distinctive salmon haired figure jogging towards them. "Natsu-kun?"  
"Oh, Meredy!" He stopped. "What are you doing up?"  
"I was running."  
"Like that wasn't obvious." Gray snorted patronizingly.  
"What did you say Ice Breath?" Natsu pressed his forehead against the Ice Make Mage's head threateningly.  
Instead of reacting as he usually did, Gray took a step back, crossed his arms and smirked at the confused Dragon Slayer. "Wow Natsu. And you get on me for stripping in public. What a hypocrite." He shook his head mockingly.  
"Shut it Popsicle! I didn't have time to get dressed before I was dragged out of my bed."  
"Eto…" Meredy inquisitively broke in. "If you don't mind, why were you dragged out of bed?"  
"Oh, that." Natsu abruptly turned serious at the mention of what occurred earlier and the reason for his sweat soaked appearance. "It was Luce. Cobra brought her to Wendy for healing."  
"Lucy-san? Is she alright?"  
"She got worse?!"  
Natsu blinked owlishly at his frenemy. "You knew?"  
"Only the basics." The Devil Slayer waved an impatient hand. "Just tell me what happened to Lucy."  
"Right." Natsu nodded solemnly at Gray. "From what Cobra told us, it happened around five o'clock. Lucy, for lack of a better word, detonated with magical energy."  
"What?!"  
"Yeah. And it gets worse." He steeled himself to say the next words without giving anything away. "Apparently, to fight off whatever was attacking her mentally, Luce had to use her life energy."  
"Is she alright?" Meredy asked worriedly. Knowing the costs of using ones' life energy painfully well.  
"I think so. Cobra… saved her in time."  
"Thank God." Gray hoarsely whispered as he sank against the nearest wall in relief. "Can we see her?"  
"Yeah. But she's unconscious."  
"Alright." Gray straightened. "Take me to her."  
"I'm coming too."  
"Okay. Let's go."  
"Hai."  
________________________________________  
"How long do you think it will take for her to wake up?" Cobra asked after the young Sky Slayer finished her evaluation of Lucy.  
"I'm not sure." Wendy admitted after a minute. "I've never dealt with souls extensively before."  
Erik's eye narrowed at this. "I see."  
"But…" She bit her lip, an idea unfolding in her mind. "Perhaps we can try magic transfusions."  
"Would there be any repercussions from it?"  
"I think that is unlikely." Wendy stated softly, fiddling with the edges of her dress.  
"And why's that?" He asked in suspicion.  
"She's your mate."  
Cobra felt a shock travel through his body at hearing the words "your mate" being spoken so casually. "What does that have to do with anything?"  
"Tell me something, Cobra-san, how much do you know about Dragon Slaying Magic?"  
'Where is she going with this?' "Just that it allows you the ability to slay dragons by taking on a portion of their powers." He answered easily.  
The Bluenette nodded in acceptance of his answer. "That is mostly correct."  
Erik raised a brow. "Mostly?"  
"What you know is based off of Ningen speculation. Although they got most of it right. But a few key components were lost over time. I guess that would be due to the fact that there are so few of us left." Wendy finished with a sigh.  
Ignoring the last part of her sentence, Cobra asked, "And these key components were…?"  
She sighed again and looked up at the Poison Slayer solemnly and quoted a proverb that Grandine had told her. "'To slay a dragon, one must become like the slayed.'"  
"I see. So the reason that Heartfilia is safe-"  
"Is because of your dragon slaying magic protecting her." Wendy finished for him. "But I would suggest using power transfers that match either yours or Lucy-nee's magic."  
'What is up with these people?' Drops of sweat slid down the Boy Who Live's forehead. 'They talk of slaying a dragon so casually. Then there is all this mate stuff. What's going on?'  
Apparently finished with the conversation, Erik bent down and picked up the Celestial Mage bridal style and started to walk towards the exit. Pausing only to throw a couple of last words over his shoulder when he heard the Sky Slayer's confusion. "I'm taking her to Lightning Rod's room. Are you coming?"  
Hearing this, Wendy scrambled to get up, ignoring the protest of her limbs at the sudden movement. "Wait up! I'm coming too!"  
'Should I stay or should I go?' Harry cast an uncertain look around the room. Contemplating whether or not he wanted to risk going and possibly being found out and, if any of the Mages' volatile reactions were to go by, most likely be beaten to a pulp for spying on their private meeting; or, staying behind and stew in his insatiable curiosity and ultimately not get any of his numerous questions answered. 'Oh screw it! I'm going!' He huffed, quickly turning to pursue the two Slayers hurrying down the corridors.  
________________________________________  
Harry just barely stopped himself from ramming into the back of the maroon haired Slytherin as he came to a completely unexpected stop. 'Whew.' He breathed a sigh of relief. 'That was a close one.'  
"Ano… why did you stop?" Wendy broke the silence hesitantly.  
"I can hear them…" Cobra rasped softly.  
"Hear whom?"  
"Salamander and the Stripper. They're coming. Along with the Time Witch's daughter."  
'Why does this guy refuse to call people by their given names?' Harry bemoaned silently. 'It would make my eavesdropping so much easier.'  
"Huh-?" Wendy barely got out before the aforementioned group came barreling around the corner. "Natsu-kun! Gray-kun! Meredy-san!" She jumped out of the way, her navy hair almost whipping Harry in the face by accident.  
'I think I'm gonna need a nice long nap after this.' The Wizard groaned. 'These Fairy Tail people exhaust me. Just tailing them for a few hours has me exhausted.'  
"Wendy-san?" Meredy questioned in puzzlement. "What are you doing- Cobra!" The Pinkette jumped in shock when she finally noticed the Listening Mage's presence for the first time. "Lucy!" Her attention turned to the limp blonde in her guild mate's arms.  
"Great. Now we know each other's names…" Cobra drawled sarcastically, completely unfazed by her running attire. "Can we keep moving?"  
'What is she wearing?!' Harry's jaw dropped at the sight of Meredy's outfit that left little to the imagination. 'There's almost nothing there!' He stuttered in his mind. His face completely red by this point. 'How can Dragneel, Cobra, and that other guy stay so…calm? Plus, what's up with him? Why is he practically naked too?' He thought in reference to Gray who was solely in his tight fitted boxers and a pair of running shoes. 'Have they no decency?' Harry wondered when he noticed that Dragneel was bereft of a shirt as well.  
All three of the newcomers nodded sharply and fell into step with Wendy and Cobra. All of them casting worried glances at their blonder haired friend. "Is she going to be alright?" Gray finally asked after several minutes of walking in complete silence.  
"Yes." Erik answered curtly and to the point.  
'Sheesh. Getting answers out of this guy is like pulling an unwilling Vulcan through the mud.' "Do you know when she'll wake up?" Gray questioned further.  
"I don't know. That's why I'm taking her to Lightning Rod's place."  
"Huh? Why's that?"  
"I'll explain it when we get there. In the meantime," Cobra looked at the three Exceeds. "You three go notify the rest of the group. Tell them Lucy needs them. Oh, and before you go, the passwords are shadows and Butter beer."  
"Right." Pantherlily, Carla, and Happy all nodded and sprouted their feathery wings and flew off.  
"Carla!" Wendy called out in worry. "You shouldn't-"  
"She'll be fine." Erik interrupted. "Her magic has mostly returned. Besides, Salamander's cat went after her."  
"Okay…" She bit her lip. Her worries still not assuaged.  
Meanwhile, as they all started to walk towards their destination, the still invisible Harry Potter stared mutely after the long gone cats. And he was using that term loosely. 'They just flew. They sprouted wings and flew off. How the heck is that even possible?!'  
________________________________________  
"What can light never touch but darkness can?" The Knocker asked Pantherlily when he came to a halt in front of it.  
"Hmm…" He floated in front of the beak shaped device in thought. His paws rubbing his chin as he tried to remember what Cobra had told them before he flew off. 'That it.' He suddenly remembered. "The answer is shadows."  
"Correct." It opened the door to the common room. "You may continue onwards."  
"Thank you." Pantherlily inclined his head, flying past the door and into the Ravenclaw dormitory. Using his nose to find his partner's scent. And when he did, he phased into his larger form and landed next to him.  
"Gajeel, wake up." Pantherlily shook the Iron Dragon Slayer's shoulder urgently with his enlarged battle form paw.  
Blearily Gajeel opened his garnet eyes and glared at the form of his partner. "Darn it Lily! I just got to bed from patrolling! Can't you let a man sleep in peace?"  
"I'm sorry Gajeel. But not this time."  
"Fine." Gajeel muttered, swinging his feet over his bed and on to the floor. "What's the all so urgent problem that you felt I needed to be awake for?"  
"Lucy's been hurt."  
Immediately a change came over Metalicana's son. "Bunny Girl's hurt?"  
"Yes."  
"Alright. Take me to her."  
"One moment. We need to get Levy first." Pantherlily responded, feeling proud.  
"There's no need. I'm awake." Levy fast walked her way over to the black furred Exceed. "So Lu-chan's been hurt?"  
"Yes. But I'll save the explanations for later."  
When they started walking away, Gajeel felt himself hesitate briefly before he fell in step beside Levy. 'I can't let my feeling interfere. Besides,' He cast a subtle side glance at the focused bluenette. 'No matter how angry I get, for some reason I can't stay mad at her. I guess I really am fool.' He chuckled mirthlessly in his mind.  
________________________________________  
"Tom Cat, why are you flying with me?"  
"Because, you're still recovering. Besides, Lily already covered Ravenclaw. And there's no need to go to Slytherin or Gryffindor since they're already with us." Happy answered.  
'That, oddly enough, actually made sense.' "Alright. I suppose that is a worthy enough answer."  
"Aye." He chirped happily. 'My charm must be winning over Carla. Maybe I'll offer her a Mackerel tomorrow.'  
________________________________________  
Cobra came to a stop in front of a large door and proceeded to bang on it with his foot. Repeatedly. "Oi, Lighting Rod! Wake up."  
After several colorful words and heavy thumps, the oak door swung open to reveal a not so pleased, sleep ruffled Laxus Dreyar.  
'Gah! He looks mad!' Harry almost jumped back in fear at the terrifying glare the Headmaster of Fairy Tail was giving the Slytherin. 'If looks could kill, I think that Cobra would dead many times over. Also, is it just my imagination, or is there lightning flickering around Headmaster Dreyar?'  
"You have better have a good-" Laxus started to threatened but stopped when he noticed the person in the Poison Slayer's arms. Rubbing a hand over his face, the blonde stepped aside and let them in. "Come on in. You can lay her on the couch." 'It's way too early for this stuff to happen. Or anything for that matter.'  
Harry cautiously stepped into the room. Though, as he looked around, the word room barely fit the description. Large and spacious, with floor to ceiling bookshelves lining the walls on one side, the rest of the room was comprised of a leather couch placed conveniently in front of the hearth; a taupe area rug with long stem like leaf patterns made the place seem cozy. The Wizard's gaze moved past the sitting area and to the apparent sleeping area.  
'Poor guy.' Harry muttered in his mind when he saw the unmade canopy bed's covers that were done in varying shades charcoal and black lying in a rumbled heap on the floor. 'It seems that we woke him with our visit. And judging by his lack of shirt and ruffled appearance, I would say it was a sound sleep too. And seeing how Fairy Tail has acted thus far with emotions, I'm honesty surprised that he didn't do something violent in retribution for waking him. Or maybe he was.' He sweat-dropped as he remembered the killer aura he had felt just before the scarred blonde had caught sight of Heartfilia.  
'Though I gotta wonder, what's so special about Heartfilia? Yeah she seems nice and all, but obviously she has some of the nasty Slytherin traits if she got in that House. So why does everyone I see from Fairy Tail react so adversely when they hear that she was hurt? It doesn't make sense. Even in Hogwarts, different Houses don't tend to get along. And honestly, unless someone's really good friends with the person, people within different Houses don't tend to care very much. It is just different in their school than here?'  
"So, does anyone want to tell me what's going here? Gray? Natsu? Wendy?" Laxus questioned with a raised brow at their unusual silence. "Meredy?" When she shook her head, he finally turned to Cobra and asked in exasperation, "Fine then, Cobra, do you mind explaining what happened?"  
"I'll do that when the rest of the team arrives." Erik walked over to the corner nearest to Lucy and settled there with his arms crossed. "They shouldn't be long. I can hear them coming."  
'Dragneel has some sort of super nose with an innate ability to control fire, Marvel has some awesome healing powers, and it seems that Cobra has super hearing as well as powers with poison involved. What's next? A person who has the abilities to transform into a demon?'  
A sudden growl of Natsu's bottomless pit of a stomach interrupted the heavy silence. "Ehheh…." Natsu laughed awkwardly when everyone turned and just looked at him. "What? I'm hungry!"  
"You're always hungry Flame Brain."  
"What was that?!"  
"You heard what I said. Unless you're going deaf in your old age." Gray smirked, getting ready to dodge to the incoming punch.  
"We're the same age!" Natsu lunged for the Ice Make Mage.  
"Say that to your birth record Ash for Brains."  
"Oi! Not in my room!" Laxus stepped between the two and caught their fists mid-swing. "Natsu, if you have enough energy to pick a fight with Gray, then you can wait the hour for breakfast. And Gray, stop antagonizing him."  
'Jeez… I wish that I could get away with punching someone that easily.' Harry enviously thought. 'All they got was a light slap on the wrist compared to what I would've gotten if I punch Malfoy right in his upturned, aristocratic nose.'  
Harry nearly jumped out of his skin when the imposing figure of Laxus Dreyar slumped next to against the wall that was farthest from the two trouble makers. "I need a drink. It's too darn early for Gray and Natsu's antics. How Blondie puts up with the two of them is beyond me." He heard the blonde mutter under his breath.  
For a second there, Harry could have sworn that he saw Cobra cast an amused look at Dreyar as he muttered those words and then he was back to its glowering self.  
Hearing the door creak open, the sable haired Wizard looked up and saw the two Fairy Tail Mages from Ravenclaw walk in, and then shortly after, Mirajane and the armored redhead from Hufflepuff.  
"Where's Flare-san?" Meredy questioned when she did not see her walk in too.  
"Happy's getting her." Erza responded, her armor creaking slightly as she crossed her arms. "She wanted to go for a walk this morning in the woods."  
'The woods?! Don't tell me she went into the Forbidden Forest!' Harry gasped, his eyes wide as he thought of all the monsters living in that place against a single girl.  
"He's here." Cobra spoke up, his head lifting to look at the doorway just as the blue shape of Happy came flying in with Flare securely in his grasp.  
'Wait, how the heck can a cat lift someone easily twice their weight and fly?! How is that possible?' Harry wondered incredulously.  
"Ah, Happy, you're back." Natsu grinned happily at the sight of his partner.  
"Aye!" The Exceed chirped, setting down Flare who immediately went over to Lucy and stared worriedly at her.  
"Blondie…" She murmured.  
Harry watched her for a moment before looking away, a heavy blush on his cheeks when he saw the nearly frontless red dress hanging onto her in place of the more modest apparel she had on yesterday. 'Jeez! Is it really so hard for these people to wear modest clothing?! But,' He furrowed his brows thoughtfully, ignoring Cobra's explanation about Lucy and focused on the people in the room. Or more precisely, their strange, look alike tattoos. 'What I really want to know, is why everyone has one. What's the meaning behind them? And what do the different colors mean? Heartfilia has pink; which totally goes against what a typical Slytherin would have… that armored chick with the skirt has a cobalt blue one. Dragneel has red- maybe because of his flames? Flare has a maroon colored one… perhaps the different colors reflect something? But what?' He puzzled. 'I've seen several with identical tattoos, so they can't be too personalized. Ungh…' Harry groaned. 'Why is everything so complicated?'  
He came back to reality when Laxus started speaking. 'Are they done already? Just how long was I thinking?'  
"-So basically, you're saying that a monstrous snake's ghost came and tried to take over Lucy's body and while she fought it off, she used her soul's power to fuel her spells. Causing her to fall into a coma. Did I miss anything?"  
"No, not really." Cobra muttered.  
'I'd say he left out a lot! Mainly the fact that she was dead for a few minutes!' Harry thought indignantly, hating it when people left out pieces of information.  
"Good. Now you can tell me why you really called us here."  
"That was actually my idea Laxus-san." Wendy stepped forward. "As you can see, Lucy-nee is stuck in a coma. But since this coma is the result of having insufficient amounts of magical energy, I thought that having everyone give her small amounts of magic would help speed up her recovery."  
Laxus raised a brow, looking mildly surprised at her thesis. "That's a good plan."  
"Thanks." She smiled happily at his praise. Knowing that it was rare. "I actually thought of it because of what happens when people get Magic Deficiency Disease."  
"Well I'm in." He stretched lightly and walked over to where Lucy was sleeping. "Just tell me what to do."  
"Arigatō Laxus-san."  
The Lightning Mage waved away her thanks. "She's Nakama. There's no need to thank me."  
"If this will help Lucy recover faster, I will do everything in my power to help." Erza said strongly, loathing the fact that she had not been there for her teammate when she had needed it the most.  
When Wendy looked towards Gray and Natsu, the latter just scoffed and said, "There's no need to ask. Flame Brain and I were already going to help. Lucy's our teammate and friend. Of course we'd help her. Just tell us when and how."  
Another large smile broke out on her face when others started speaking up and finally, everyone had volunteered quite readily to donate some of their power to Lucy.  
Meanwhile a certain black haired Wizard could not help but stare in shock and slight awe as everyone came forward to help. 'I expected some would, but not all. Just what type of person is she to inspire such loyalty?'  
"What do you need us to do?" Mira questioned, her expression firm.  
"I was thinking of doing hourly doses until her reservoir of power if filled and have people stay with her until she wakes up."  
"Sounds like a good plan." The Take-Over Mage beamed at the bluenette. "But how are we going to coordinate the time table?"  
Wendy seemed to deflate a little at that question. "I actually… haven't thought of that part yet."  
"I might have a solution." Meredy said, raising her hand slightly. "Well it wouldn't be nearly as fancy as Hibiki-san's, it will still the job done."  
"What are you going to do?" Gray asked in curiosity, his interest peaked.  
"I'm going to use my Maguilty Sense."  
Almost everyone drew back in fear.  
Seeing their reactions, Meredy could not help it, she burst out into light peals of laughter. "Oh gosh! Your faces!"  
Still invisible, Harry felt his lips twitch with restrained amusement. After all, their faces had been twisted in different horrified looks. 'Is she really a Slytherin? She almost acts like a tamer version of Fred and George.'  
"Just kidding." She waved her hand merrily. Enjoying beyond measure everyone's expressions. "What I'll actually do is just link up Maguilty bracelets that each have a timer set for each person."  
"How long will that take?"  
"Not very long." Meredy chirped. "But I do need to know who can do what at certain times."  
After she said this, everyone gave her their schedules and knowing this, she asked them to hold out their wrists in front of her.  
Despite his slight apprehension about this Maguilty magic, Harry edged himself closer so that he could watch.  
Closing her eyes, Meredy inhaled deeply and sent her magic out; structuring it and molding it into what she wanted. When she had finished, she opened her eyes. "Maguilty Sense: Stopwatch."  
'It-it's pink. What's up with the hot pink bracelets?' Harry wondered in befuddlement. 'Isn't that a little… cutting to the guys' masculinity?'  
"Why does it have to be pink?" Natsu groaned.  
"At least it will match your pink hair." Gray taunted.  
"It's not pink! It's salmon!" Natsu snapped back.  
'And here I was calling it pink all this time.'  
"Are you two fighting again?" Erza asked, standing imposingly over them.  
"No ma'am." They squeaked, immediately throwing an arm over the other's shoulder. "We're best friends. See?"  
Erza's intimidating aura vanished instantly as she started smiling gently down at them, stars seeming shine in her eyes. "I'm glad that you are getting along. It warms my heart."  
'Ehh? Why are those two hugging each other?' Harry could not help question. 'There's something really wrong with that girl.' He edged away from Erza slightly. Creeped out by the stars in her eyes.  
"Gi hi hi." Gajeel chuckled sinisterly at Gray and Natsu's predicament, causing Harry to jump at the unexpected sound behind him. "That never gets old."  
'Was that really a laugh? It sounded… so… creepy.' Harry could have sworn he felt the hair on the back of his neck go up.  
"Ahem." Laxus coughed into his fist to gather everyone's attention. "We should all go to breakfast. Whoever is first can watch over Lucy. But if we are all absent it will make us look suspicious. So let's go."  
"I'll stay."  
"Hmm?" Laxus turned towards Cobra in surprise. "You're volunteering?" He asked, a touch of incredulousness entering his voice.  
"I just said that, didn't I?"  
"Yeah. I just didn't expect you of all people to volunteer."  
"Cobra-san," Wendy looked up at him firmly, knowing that he would dislike her suggestion; but also knowing that it needed voiced. No matter how much it irritated him.  
"Then don't say it." Erik commented dryly.  
"Cobra-san, you should go eat. You've been caring for Lucy-nee all night and most of this morning. Your body needs to have food and you need to relax. Both of which you won't get if you continue to stay here."  
Cobra glared down at the smaller Slayer. "No."  
"Cobra-san…" The sweet and innocent voice of Mirajane broke in gently, a small smile stretched out upon her face while a deadly aura flowed off of her. "You should really go eat. I can't have you dying of starvation, now can I?"  
Choosing to ignore the overtly demonic aura swirling around him and the panicked looks of his teammates, Cobra narrowed his eye further and said, "I'm going to stay. So stop trying to make me go. You won't like the results."  
"Cobra…" She drawled out slowly, her sapphire eyes opening from their closed position as she pinned him with a threating glare. "Don't make me use Macro on you."  
Erik drew back a step in apprehension. 'She wouldn't.' When the oldest Strauss sibling met his gaze, he could see the, "Try me" as plain as day. But not wanting to outright admit defeat, he finally asked something that was bothering him. "If I go to breakfast," He crossed his arms. "Who will look after Bright Eyes once I transfer some of my power to her?"  
Mira smiled and as suddenly as the demonic aura came, it left. Leaving everyone sighing in relief. Or in Harry's case, nearly falling to the floor. "I will."  
"Well, now that we've got that settled, let's eat!" Natsu pumped his fists excitedly.  
"Just one second!" Erza boomed from behind him, her hands placed firmly on her hips.  
Natsu froze and slowly cranked his head around to look at Erza's glowering face. 'Eep! What did I do?!'  
Nearby, Happy sniggered into his paw. "What did you do Natsu? Step on her cake again?"  
"What?" He looked at the blue Exceed in horror. "No! At least I don't think so…" He finished in a mutter.  
"Thankfully he did no such thing. This time." The Knight glowered at Natsu. "But the problem lies in your lack of attire and your stench."  
At this Gray started to slink off.  
"Stop right there, Gray Fullbuster! Don't think that I didn't notice your lack of hygiene and clothing! It is disgraceful! Go take a bath and put on some clean clothes!"  
"But breakfast…"  
"No buts!"  
"Aye!"  
As Erza turned around, Meredy tensed, already imagining the tongue lashing that would follow.  
However, when the redhead's attention focused on the Pinkette, her eyes softened visibly. "Meredy, you should take a bath and change too."  
"You're not going to yell at me for not being presentable?" Meredy asked in confusion.  
A brief smile flitted across Erza's face. "Unlike the boys, I know that you do not need me to chastise you into taking a bath."  
Harry fell over. 'Wait, that was her chastising someone?! She sounded just like Missus Weasley when she's mad!'  
"Oh." Meredy managed. "Well, I'd… better be going. Don't want to be late for breakfast."  
Seeing that the meeting was officially over, Gajeel raised a hand in parting and started to walk out. "See ya, losers."  
Levy's eyes went wide when she realized that the brooding Iron Slayer was leaving. "Wait Gajeel!"  
"What?"  
"I need to talk to you. Alone." Levy added when she noticed the interested looks she was getting from Mira.  
"Fine." He turned away without another word.  
Levy felt something clench painfully inside her at his abrupt words. 'No matter what, I've got to set things right.' That firmly in mind, the bluenette jogged after Gajeel. Almost having to keep running just to match his long-legged strides.  
________________________________________  
Laxus released a large yawn and ran his hand through his ruffled hair. "I'm going to shower. Don't mess anything up." He warned.  
"Hai." Wendy nodded once.  
"Wendy, shall we go to eat?" Erza asked.  
She was about to respond affirmatively when her stomach answered for her. Looking up sheepishly she answered, "Yes. That would be nice."  
Erza patted her on the back; nearly causing her to fall over from the impact. "Don't be embarrassed Wendy. A hearty appetite is good for growing children. Now let's go. Cobra, you're coming too."  
Cobra just sighed and began to make his way towards the great hall. Pausing briefly to look back at Lucy before resuming his designated course. 'I'll be back.'  
Seeing that he had got everything he could possibly have gotten, Harry hurried away to his room and once he was securely in there, he ripped of the cloak and leaned against the wall- panting as the nearly constant adrenaline rush began to wear off. 'I survived. I actually survived.'  
________________________________________  
Mira looked up when she felt another presence beside her. "You're not going?" She asked, looking curiously at Flare as she stood awkwardly next to her.  
The Redhead shook her head mutely.  
"She'll be fine." A small smile lit the silver haired barmaid's face. "She's strong. She'll pull through."  
Flare sat down on the wrought iron coffee table and looked at her pale hands. "I know."  
"But it doesn't make the waiting any easier, right?" Mira questioned knowingly.  
"Yes." She admitted softly, still looking down at her clenched hands.  
"Lucy is very lucky to have such a loyal friend."  
Flare muttered a quick thank you before turning her head away to conceal the spreading blush covering her cheeks.  
"I have an idea. How about you travel to the kitchens and get us food while I watch Lucy. Is that alright with you?"  
"I'll go." The Hair Mage got up, happy to have a purpose. "Is there anything that you would like?"  
"Hmm…" Mira tapped her lips thoughtfully. "Perhaps some oolong tea, steamed rice and a tamagoyaki?"  
"I'll be quick." Flare promised to the Take-Over User.  
"Just remember to tickle the pear like the Headmaster said too!" Mira called after her.  
________________________________________  
Gajeel came to halt next to the fountain inside the courtyard and turned around with a scowl etched firmly on his pierced visage. "Alright Shrimp. You wanted to talk. So talk. I have breakfast waiting for me. So speak quickly."  
Levy steeled herself and opened her mouth to speak, only to close it when she realized that she did not know what she wanted to say. Sure she knew that she needed to apologize profusely for how she had reacted, but the problem was, that she did not know how.  
"Well?"  
Deciding to go with the normal route, Levy bent down into a deep bow. "I'm sorry!"  
Gajeel blinked at her in shock before his features hardened. "Why are you apologizing?"  
"I hurt you." Her voice cracked. "I never meant to react that way but something happened and my mind flashed back…"  
"I still don't see why you're apologizing."  
Hesitantly the petite bluenette looked up at the Iron Dragon Slayer's rough features in hope. "So… you're not mad?"  
"No, I'm not." He turned his head away. "I'm furious." Hearing her sharp inhale and the slight smell of salt in the air, he continued. Finally meeting Levy's eyes with his blazing garnet. "I'm furious at myself for falling for your act."  
"My act?" Levy croaked, trying valiantly to hold back the tears that wanted to fall.  
"Yes." Gajeel growled, his fist creaking as he clenched it tightly. "I can see now that you've always been too afraid to even touch me." He let out a rasping laugh, totally oblivious to Levy clenching her own fists in anger as she turned her head down. Her hair covering her eyes. "I don't know how I even-"  
"You idiot!" Levy cried out, her head flinging upwards as tears flew out of her eyes as she interrupted Gajeel. "I forgave you a long time ago!"  
"Oh really?" He drawled patronizingly, his arms crossing of their own accord.  
'I need to do something!' Levy panicked when she noticed the distancing gestures she was getting. 'But what?' Without a better option, Levy acted on an impulse and kissed Gajeel.  
All Gajeel could feel for a heart stopping moment was shock before it turned into confusion. 'Why is she… kissing me? Isn't she afraid…?'  
In those moments of hesitation, Levy felt her heart crumble as tears started to course down her face when he continued to stay unresponsive.  
'What a pansy!' A rough voice snapped harshly to Gajeel, dragging him away from the present and into his soul.  
"Dad?" Gajeel's whole body froze when he disappeared from courtyard and into an iron forest where the gigantic form of his father stood menacingly. "But how-?"  
"Shut up! Are you really going to leave your mate suffering?" Metalicana roared inside his Slayer's mind. His metal fangs snapped at the smaller form in front of him.  
"She's afraid of me!"  
"And whose fault is that?" The dragon's eyes clinked as they narrowed accusingly at Gajeel.  
"It's mine."  
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Metalicana sneered. "I couldn't hear it over your pathetic sniveling."  
"It's my fault okay!" Tears splashed down Gajeel's rugged face when shouted those words. "It's my fault." He whispered, his fists curling into the dirt as his emotions turned bitter.  
The Iron Dragon leaned down until his metallic snout was centimeters from his Slayer and said slowly, "And what are you going to do about that?"  
"What?" Gajeel looked up at his surrogate father in disbelief. "Didn't I tell you- ouch!" He yelped when Metalicana's hard chin came crashing down on his head with a loud and painful, crack. "What was that for, you over grown pile of bolts?!" He glared at the dragon as he rubbed his throbbing skull.  
The dragon let out a huff at Gajeel's denseness. "You were being an idiot."  
"That doesn't give you the right to bash me with your ugly mug!"  
"Well someone had to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours." Metalicana rumbled. "So say 'thank you' already and go beg for your mate to take you back."  
Abruptly sobering up, Gajeel sank down to the ground and asked the question that had been plaguing him for the longest time. "What if she says no?"  
The dragon release a sigh that was mixed with an irritated growl. "After all the chasing that she's done, do you honestly think that she would refuse you, you dolt?! Just grow a pair and kiss her back!"  
Before Gajeel could even muster a reply, he was sent back to reality. 'Levy… she's crying. I'm such an idiot.' Steeling himself for the worst, Gajeel brought his arms up and clenched the shaking bluenette to him and kissed her back.  
'Gajeel… does this mean that you've forgiven me?'  
Breaking the kiss, Gajeel stumbled back against the fountain and managed to choke out through his heavy breathing a much needed apology. "I'm sorry Levy."  
'Gajeel . . . he's apologizing? Why?' Levy stared at him mutely, her body and mind in roiling in turmoil over what had just happened.  
"I'm sorry Levy. I treated you wrongly. Please, forgive me."  
"No Gajeel!" Levy rushed forward to stop the Slayer from bowing to her. "Please don't. It was my fault for letting old memories overwhelm me. I overreacted and- "  
Gajeel startled her into silence by spontaneously bursting out into raucous guffaws.  
"Nani?" The Script Mage's head tilted to the side in befuddlement. Confused beyond measure why he would just start laughing in a situation like this.  
"Sorry." He apologized, running a hand through the tangled mess of his hair. His laughter dying down immediately when he realized that this was not really the right time to be laughing. "It's just that I realized how alike and how wrong both of our assumptions were." Gajeel tried to explain.  
Levy's mouth started to twitch and then she began to laugh as well. Finally, after a few minutes of straight laughter, the bluenette sat up and wiped away some stray tears with a chuckle. "I see what you mean. We were both assuming something that was wrong. We're such morons." She shook her head in bemusement, a wry smile touching her face.  
"So, we're all good now?"  
"Yeah." Levy looked away from Gajeel in embarrassment- her features becoming flushed when she realized that she had just kissed Gajeel and he had kissed her back.  
"Good." He got up, offering her a hand up.  
Accepting the proffered palm, Levy let the Dragon Slayer lift her up. "Well," She began awkwardly, searching for something to do. "Do you want to go breakfast?"  
"Sounds good to me. Let's go." Gajeel grasped her hands and pulled her along with him.  
________________________________________  
"Harry, is everything alright?" Hermione frowned at her friend. Noticing for seemed the hundredth time, Harry's spaced out expression.  
"Huh?" Harry blinked at his brunette friend. "Did you say something Hermione?"  
"Yes." She said in exasperation. "What's wrong with you this morning?"  
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong with me."  
"Really?" Hermione pinned him with a disbelieving look.  
"Fine." Harry sighed, "I'm just distracted."  
"I noticed." The Witch snorted over her opened book.  
'Right.' He sweat-dropped. 'I ran into that one.' "Sorry." Harry rubbed his eyes. "I didn't get much sleep." 'Plus, I have thoughts about Fairy Tail that just won't leave me alone. It's so frustrating! I heard so much, but I couldn't understand most of it.'  
"Earth to Harry Potter!" Hermione waved her hand in Harry's face.  
He jumped, nearly knocking over his glass of pumpkin juice. "Sorry, Hermione. I guess I started to doze off again." He gave her a sheepish smile, hoping that it would divert her questioning.  
Hermione shut her book with a slam and drug Harry out of great hall and into the hallway. Ignoring his protests and the looks that they were getting. "Okay, spill. What's got you so distracted?" She raised a finger to forestall any protests. "And don't tell me you're just tired. I know it's not just that."  
Harry slumped against the wall. "I'm that obvious?"  
"Very."  
"Fine." Then he looked around to make sure that no one was listening. "Earlier this morning I followed Fairy Tail and overheard a lot of things."  
"What?!"  
"Shush!" Harry slapped a hand over his friend's mouth with a hiss. "Quiet."  
Hermione peeled off his hand. "Explain." She whispered.  
Harry pulled out his wand and cast a damping spell. "Alright, just don't freak out."  
She crossed her arms with a huff. "I'll be the judge of that."  
So he told her.  
When he finished, Hermione had lost her confrontational attitude, and instead had one of contemplation. "How interesting. I'll have to do some heavy research."  
'I shudder to think how many gigantic tomes that will be.'  
"Wait," Hermione snapped her fingers. Abruptly straightening up. "Did you say that they said that they were Mages?"  
"Yes…? Why do you ask?"  
"I'm not entirely sure…" Hermione chewed on her lip. "But I'm positive that I've heard that term before in Wizard history. I'll to look that up too." She muttered to herself while pulling out a quill and paper and scratching that down too.  
Harry nodded and nullified his spell. "Alright. Tell me what you find, okay?"  
"Sure thing!"  
Harry was about to move forward when he noticed the large figure exiting the great hall. "Hey, Hagrid." He greeted the half-giant.  
"Hiya 'Arry. Hermione." Hagrid lumbered over to them. "'aven't seen you 'round lately with all this excitement of 'aving a new school 'ere."  
"Sorry."  
"Ahh. Don't sweat it 'Arry. Well, I should be off. Gotta prepare fer class. See ya."  
"Bye." Harry and Hermione waved goodbye. It was not until Hagrid was out of sight that Harry realized something. "Hey Hermione?"  
"What is it Harry?"  
"Are you taking Care of Magical Creatures this year?"  
"No…" She said slowly, beginning to realize what Harry was hinting at. "And I'm guessing that you aren't either."  
Harry nodded. "And I don't think Ron is."  
"Poor Hagrid." Hermione winced. "I bet he was expecting our support."  
"Well…" Harry started sheepishly. "I could have taken it…"  
"You just didn't want too?"  
"Yeah. Does that make me a bad person?"  
Hermione sighed. "No. It makes you a practical person. No one likes to have their fingers burned to cinders, being eaten, or taking care of gigantic creatures that shouldn't even be labeled as an animal."  
"But still, Hagrid's going to be upset when he realizes that we aren't there."  
"I know. Perhaps we should avoid Hagrid until this all blows over?"  
"Good idea."  
"Mister Potter. Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall's stern voice cut into their conversation like a knife through warm butter. "What are you doing just standing out in the hallway? Classes are about to start! Surely you don't want detention on your first day?" She peered down at them through her spectacles.  
"No ma'am." They quickly responded, already in motion.  
"Good." McGonagall gave an approving nod. "See you in class."  
________________________________________  
'I wonder what got into them.' Laxus watched the pair of Gryffindors with vague interest. 'Maybe I'll follow them. Heh. Who knows, maybe it will give me some entertainment.'  
Scooting out of his chair, the Blonde started to walk out but was stopped when a firm voice called after him. "Huh?" He looked back and met the gaze of the resolute, Professor Sprout.  
"May I have a word with you, Headmaster Dreyar?"  
He stared the Herbology teacher for a second before continuing to walk out the side door.  
'Why that..!' Professor Sprout steamed when the foreign Wizard turned away from her. Clearly dismissing her. 'I won't let him get away so easily!' She swore to herself as she marched resolutely after him. 'I will confront him about Scarlett!'  
________________________________________  
'Oi, is she still following me?' Laxus glanced over his shoulder. 'Yep. She's still following. What does she want? Don't tell me those idiots did something again.'  
'Do I really care though?' He thought about it for a moment. 'No, I really don't think I care. Not only that, but I don't feel like having any more excitement this morning.' A yawn stretched across his face and he brought a hand up to cover his mouth. 'Darn, I'm tired. Those morons woke me up way too darn early. Couldn't they have waited a few more hours? But,' His thoughts turned contemplative. 'I suppose that it was necessary. Which was why I didn't blast them into cinders. Though I do think I'll get them back. Maybe a mild shock to jolt them awake? Or perhaps a thunderclap in the ear?' A sadistic grin broke over his face as more possibilities presented themselves. 'That one's perfect~.'  
Finally, after what seemed an eternity of walking to the poor, plump Witch, the blonde-haired mage came to a halt at the edge of the lake.  
"Oi!" Laxus glared over his shoulder at the older women.  
Those harshly uttered words caused Professor Sprout to jump in surprise. That, and the intense glare she was receiving from him.  
"Why are you still following me?"  
Pomona firmed her lips into a straight line and marched over the imposing figure and jabbed a finger into his chest irately. "As I told earlier; before you skulked off, I might add, I need to have a word with you. And I won't have you slithering out of this one."  
"Sheesh." He muttered in Fioreian, earning a glare from the small teacher. "Fine," he sighed, settling against the nearest tree with his arms crossed over his chest. "Let's hear it."  
Professor Sprout straightened and prepared herself for the speech she was about to make. "The reason that I have come here to talk to you, is regarding Scarlett's behavior."  
'Erza?' A blonde brow went up. "What did she do now?"  
"Nothing!" The Herbologist assured quickly.  
"Then what's the problem?"  
At Laxus's non-chalant attitude, Professor Sprout was filled with righteous anger. "What's wrong you ask? Well I'll tell you! Just yesterday morning she asked to be punished for something incredibly minor! Punished! And let me tell you here and now, if you have been abusing that child-" She was interrupted when Laxus started guffawing uncontrollably, his body shaking so much that the tree he was leaning against was creaking in protest. Her eyes seemed to flash as she practically snarled angrily at him her words. "And what, pray tell, is so amusing about this?!"  
'I need to stop laughing! But it's so funny. I can just picture the old bat's face when Titania said that. Priceless.' This thought of course caused another round of laughter, which was not good considering how murderous the plant professor was looking currently. 'Alright Laxus, think of something… anything. Gramps in speedo? That's bad… but it's not doing the trick. Ichiya's…' Instantly his face turned putrid green as he fought the urge to puke. 'Why did I have to think of that?'  
'Huh?' Professor Sprout blinked owlishly at the man. 'Wasn't he just laughing a minute ago…?'  
"Erhm." Laxus coughed into his fist, still trying to push back that image of Blue Pegasus's S-Class Potions Mage. "Right sorry. Anyway, to answer your question, Erza's been like that for as long as I can remember."  
Pomona looked at him curiously. 'He speaks of her in such a familiar way. And now that I get a closer look, they can't be that much older than each other. But that brings up another question. He said it as if they grew up together. But that shouldn't be possible. They're clearly not related. And five years surely cannot be enough time for such a close bond to form. Especially for a teacher student relationship.' "If you don't mind me asking, how long have you known Scarlett?"  
"Hmm…" Laxus scratched his cheek in thought. 'How long have I known her for?' "Well, to be honest, when she first came to Fairy Tail I didn't really pay her any mind. But if I had to guess, I'd say over ten years?"  
"B-but that's impossible! Scarlett is only a sixth year!"  
Internally Laxus groaned. 'Ugh… again. How do I get myself in these situations?' Thinking up a quick half-truth, he responded. "Unlike your school, Fairy Tail doesn't have an age minimum to begin; nor does it have a recess. Anyone who has magic is allowed to join and learn about their powers. They stay until they feel that they should leave."  
"And their parents are alright with this? Surely they would want to see their children." Professor Sprout asked, flummoxed at the very thought.  
"We are their family."  
"What-?" Professor Sprout floundered for words.  
Internally Laxus sighed. 'And this is why I leave all the talking to Freed.' "Forget it." He said curtly, turning and quickly striding away, cursing himself and his blabbering mouth all the while.  
Meanwhile, Professor Sprout watched him with a puzzled frown. 'What happened? I felt like I was finally talking to him and vice versa.'  
Hearing the warning bells ring however, jolted the kindly professor out of her pensive mood and into a panicked rush. 'Oh no! I'm going to be late!'  
________________________________________  
Later that day-  
"Mister Potter? Mister Weasley?" Professor Slughorn paused his speech and looked at the two panting Wizards in the doorway with surprise.  
"I'm sorry Professor." Harry quickly apologized in tandem with Ron.  
"It's alright m'boy. Come in come in." The rotund professor waved them in cheerfully.  
"Umm… Professor?" Harry started awkwardly, not really sure how to broach the subject about Ron and his lack of textbooks.  
"Hmm? What is it m'boy?"  
"Well, since Ron and I didn't know that we were taking this course until yesterday morning… we didn't get the required book."  
A look of surprise flashed across Slughorn's face. "Oh? Is that all?" He chuckled, relieved that it was something so minor. "You can borrow some of the classroom books. You'll find them in that cupboard. Ship spot." He shooed them away towards the sad looking cupboard in the back corner of the classroom.  
"Thanks, Professor." Harry and Ron breathed out in relief; knowing that if it had been Snape they were talking to, he would have slapped so much detention on them that they would be doing it for the rest of the semester. And longer.  
Glancing towards the drooping cupboard and seeing only two copies- one in pristine condition and the other tattered, the two wizards took off in a sprint to get the nice copy. Unfortunately for Harry, however, Ron reached the cupboard first and triumphantly snatched it up.  
Looking regretfully at the worn book in his grasp, Harry made his way towards the rest of the class.  
________________________________________  
Cobra's uninterested gaze moved past the pouting wizard in a bored manner as he hung out in the very back of the classroom- trying to ignore the overwhelmingly strong scent of potions and all the vociferous souls clamoring with every sort of thoughts and intentions. 'On top of that, I still have a raging headache from lack of sleep and being tossed into a stone wall.' He rubbed a hand over his face as he stifled the yawn that was trying to escape. 'Why can't something interesting happen?'  
A few seconds later Erik was regretting those words.  
"Alright Everyone." Slughorn rubbed his hands together excitedly. "I'm going to try something new." Pulling out a list with neatly scrawled letters and his reading glasses, the portly professor prepared himself to read it off. "As of today, for the rest of this semester, I am going to shuffle around student pairs and have you work together in teams for an entire week. Now, the moment that everyone has been waiting for!" He brandished the parchment with the names on it.  
"Ahem, First off we have Mister Malfoy from Slytherin and Miss Bones from Hufflepuff." Hearing protests, he leveled a stern glare at the duo. "No complaints. Now if you would move over to the first table, we can continue."  
"Now where was I…?" Horace muttered to himself. "Ah… yes. Here I was. Alright, for our second pair, we have Hermione Granger from Gryffindor with Cobra from Slytherin."  
'Ehh?' Hermione jumped, and swung her gaze towards a decidedly unhappy Cobra. 'I have to be with him?' She wailed internally. Finding the tall, one-eyed man intimidating despite her decision to be open minded about these transfer students. 'There's just something sinister about him. It gives me the chills.' She rubbed her arms. 'I feel like he is walking over my grave whenever he just passes by me.'  
"Trust me on this, Bookworm, I would rather not be with you either." Cobra whispered into her ear, causing her to release an 'eep!' that was muffled by the Slayer's scarred hand.  
'How did he get over here so quickly? Or so quietly for that matter?!' The brown-haired Witch panicked.  
"But since I have no choice either, I suggest that we work together for this week and try to do well." He continued, releasing his hand from her mouth.  
Sending a glare over her shoulder at the tall male, Hermione huffed angrily at his presumptuous attitude and stomped over to the indicated seat and slammed her books down. 'Argh! Insufferable man! Hah! Try to do well! I'll show him!'  
Watching the feisty brunette stomp away from him, Cobra felt a smirk grow on his face. 'This is going to be fun.'  
-Line Break—  
"Now then," Slughorn clapped his hands together again. "Are we all settled?" Hearing no complaints, the man trudge onward. "Good, good. Today we are going to brew a draught of liquid death." His voice lowered dramatically. "And whoever brews the best batch, will get a small vial of Felix Felicis. Can anyone tell me what this is? Yes, Miss Granger?"  
"Felix Felicis, or more communing known as liquid luck, grants the user temporary good fortune. However, if taken too often, it has been known to cause bad luck."  
The Professor nodded enthusiastically at her answer, paying no mind to the fact that she had just quoted the book verbatim. "Very nice. Splendid job, Miss Granger! Ten points for Gryffindor."  
Hermione all but glowed at the teacher's praise.  
"Since Miss Granger answered that question, could anybody tell what is in that cauldron over there?" Slughorn pointed at the gently bubbling pink potion.  
When no one answered, he frowned and asked, "Anyone?"  
Almost timidly, Hermione raised her hand.  
"Miss Granger?"  
"It is a love potion sir. And unlike popular myth, it cannot actually make a person fall 'in love' with another. Only make them feel infatuated with the giver."  
"Ah, very nice. Another ten points for Gryffindor."  
"Thank you, Professor." She murmured.  
A few feet away from Hermione, Draco scoffed in disgust. "Stop looking so proud, Mudblood." He sneered. "Anyone could have answered those questions."  
Hermione flushed, and started to say something but was interrupted by Cobra's coolly cut voice.  
"So why didn't you answer them? Since apparently you know it all."  
"Baka..." Cobra added in a mutter.  
Draco immediately turned as scarlet as a certain requip mage's hair. "Why you… do you know who my father is?"  
"Pathetic." Erik sneered, his eye showing nothing but contempt for the blonde.  
A brighter red infused Draco's features. This time, however from embarrassment.  
"Pathetic." Cobra repeated, derision practically dripping from his voice. "Relying on your father's name to strike fear in people. You're not worth my time."  
Turning away, the conversation done in his mind, he called out to the gaping brunette. "Come on Bookworm. We're getting different seats. I refuse to be in the company of such a noxious prat."  
Finding an adequate seat in back, Cobra sat down, put his legs on the table and leaned back with his hands behind head and closed his eye; giving off an air of relaxed lethalness.  
Meanwhile Hermione stood beside their desk chewing her lip as she tried to gather the courage to say something. Anything.  
Cracking open his eye, Cobra startled Hermione by being the first to say something. "Aren't you going to sit?"  
"I am. I mean I'm going to." She quickly amended at his sardonic look.  
"Well you might want to decide soon. Everyone's waiting." He yawned and shut his eye again.  
Hermione looked around and realized, with mortification, that everyone was staring at them and waiting. "Sorry." She muttered, sliding into her seat, her cheeks nearly burgundy.  
"It's quite alright, m'dear." Slughorn smiled reassuringly at the girl before going back to his lesson. "Since we are all seated-"  
At this comment, Hermione sunk lower into her chair.  
"-we can now begin the race to get this prized potion; Felix Felicis." The professor held up the small vial proudly. "Now everyone, get your books out and find the recipe for liquid death… and begin!" He turned over a large hourglass.  
Hermione scrambled to turn to the right place- her mind and body in a frenzy. "Cobra, cut the beetle."  
When he did not move from his relaxed position, Hermione's temper got the better of her. "What are sitting around for? I said cut the beetle!"  
Not even deigning to open his eye, Cobra responded in a dangerously quiet voice. "Do not order me around."  
"W-what?" Hermione drew back at the murderous aura pouring off her partner.  
"You heard me." He pinned her with an intense glare and then shook his head as if to rid himself of something unpleasant, and swung his feet of the table and stood up. "But since we have a partnership, I will help you. Just don't ever, presume to order me around again. Am I clear?" He enunciated slowly and precisely.  
"Crystal."  
"Good." Cobra directed his attention to the scrabbling beetle as caught it with one, lightning fast lunge; choosing to ignore the gasp at his sudden movement. "Get everything else ready. I'll finish with this." That said, he then proceeded to crush the insect with the flat of his blade.  
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked in horror. "The book says to cut the beetle, not crush it!"  
He just gave her a look and continued to crush the beetle.  
"Stop! Please." She added when his amethyst orb swung towards her.  
"This will get more juice this way."  
"Huh?" Hermione blinked in surprise at the random statement. "But the book…" She protested weakly when she figured out what Cobra was alluding too.  
"Is wrong." Erik dumped the juice into the cauldron and proceeded to stir counterclockwise seven times and clockwise once.  
"What are you doing?! You're going to ruin it…" Hermione moaned.  
Cobra rolled his eye. 'So dramatic.' "Have a little faith Bookworm. I know what I'm doing." 'Thanks to that black haired kid's book.'  
"But it's wrong! The book says to stir it seven times counterclockwise!"  
Completely tuning out the brunette's complaints, Cobra continued to follow the instructions of the late coming Wizard's book instead of his own. 'This makes the potion making easy.' He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of a cauldron shattering.  
Acting on instinct, Cobra spun the stunned witch behind him and absorbed the corrosive concoction flying at them. 'Darn, what was that? It tasted disgusting!' Erik grimaced, rubbing at his mouth. 'But I do feel better. More awake.'  
"-bra. Cobra!" Hermione shook his arm for seemed to be hundredth time. She slumped in relief when the glazed over eye became luminous once more. "Thank God! I thought that the potion had blinded you."  
"I'm fine." He removed his arm from her grasp. "Did anything hit you?"  
She shook her head.  
"Good." Erik moved away from Hermione and strode over to the now quivering Neville Longbottom and shaking Ronald Weasley. Coming to a halt in front of the duo, he leveled a menacing glower at them. "You two-" He jabbed an accusing finger. "Are idiots. You could have seriously hurt someone with that explosion."  
"It was an accident!" Ron squeaked.  
Erik felt himself grow angry at the half truth. Knowing from the ginger's mind that he had not been paying very much attention to his potion and was goofing off. "Liar." He hissed.  
"Hey, calm down!" Harry interjected. "Ron said it was an accident! Just let it go!"  
About to say something snappy in rebuttal, Cobra was stopped by the surprising arrival of Laxus.  
"Well, well, well," Erik drawled slowly. "Look who it is. To what do I owe this honor?"  
Casting a look that clearly said knock it off, Laxus replied by saying, "I heard that you were causing trouble."  
Erik's eye narrowed before swinging towards Meredy accusingly.  
The Maguilty Mage just smile and waved cheerfully.  
He growled and stalked out of the room, the Lightning Dragon Slayer following after him smugly.  
'I hate them.' Cobra grumbled, paying no mind to the astonished stares he was getting.  
But Hermione's stare was for an entirely different reason than the rest. 'I could've sworn I saw the potion hit him. In fact, I'm sure that it did! But how did he get out unscathed?'  
________________________________________  
After they had walked out of hearing range, Cobra stopped abruptly and turned towards Laxus. "Alright, we're far enough away. What do you really want?"  
A Cheshire like grin lit the blonde's face. "Now what makes you think that?"  
Looking flatly at Laxus, Erik snorted and pointed at S-Class Mage. "That. Now spill it."  
"Punishment." Laxus answered simply.  
"For what?" Cobra asked, indignant.  
This time it was Laxus's turn to level a flat glare at Cobra. "For skipping patrolling and making Gajeel and me stay up all night covering blondie’s and your shift."  
"Whoops. Forgot."  
"Well, your 'whoops' caused a lot of danger! And because of that, I'm assigning guard duty for the rest of the week."  
"What about Bright Eyes?"  
"She'll join you once she wakes up."  
"Right." Cobra sighed. Feeling tired already. "When do I start?"  
Laxus smirked. "Now."  
Erik swore at him as the older Slayer sauntered away. Obviously proud of himself. And the fact the he had just gotten a weeks' vacation. 'Oh, whatever shall I do with all this free time?'  
"Teme…" Cobra growled darkly at retreating back, seriously considering throwing something.  
________________________________________  
Standing next to Harry and Wendy, Slughorn looked incredulously at their perfect potion. "Merlin's beard! You two got it correct! Two vials of liquid luck for you two!" He handed them each a bottle- which they took very gingerly while Hermione watched with a sullen countenance. Her potion having gone downhill once Cobra left. Her bushier hair than normal testified to that.  
'And I was so close…'She thought mournfully.  
________________________________________  
Levy glanced subtly up at the dragon slayer walking next to her and smiled.  
"What's wrong, Shrimp?" Gajeel questioned.  
"Nothing. Just thinking."  
"Don't think too hard!" An annoying voice cackled. "You might hurt your wee~ brain."  
"Who's there?" Gajeel stepped defensively in front of Levy.  
"Nobody~!"  
"Cut the crap! Show yourself!"  
"Nope! No can do dragon boy!" The disembodied voice chirped.  
Angry tick marks started to appear on Gajeel's face. 'Why that…'  
"Gajeel…" Levy laid a hand on his tensed arm. "It's what he wants. So instead, let me do something."  
Gajeel looked back at Levy in curiosity. Intrigued despite his desire to protect her.  
Stepping out from behind the Slayer, Levy cast several binding spells in quick succession. "Solid Script: Soul Chains! Solid Script: Chains of Visibility!"  
The Bluenette twirled her pen smugly when a cursing Poltergeist came crashing to the floor; wrapped from head to toe in glowing chains.  
"Nice one, Shrimp." Gajeel complemented, already cracking his knuckles.  
"Not so fast, dragon boy!" Peeves cackled as best he could while being chained to the ground. "I know your precious little secret. And you wouldn't want it to, slip out?"  
The Slayer paused in mid-step. "What are you talking about?"  
Peeves gazed slyly at the black haired Mage. "I know where you're actually from. And if you upset me enough, I might just slip up and forget my little promise to the Word Witch."  
"Promise? What promise? Levy?"  
"Ooh~ trouble in paradise?" The Poltergeist sniggered.  
"Urusai!" Both mages snapped at the same time at the annoying and antagonistic ghost.  
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Levy explained everything.  
After blinking a few times as he tried to process what had just been said, Gajeel finally said something after about a minute of complete silence. "So that was the reason why you were talking to yourself last night."  
'Eh?!' Levy fell to the ground in surprise. 'That's what he got out of that all?!'  
As she fell, her focus on her spells vanished and released the now whooping Peeves.  
"Ooh~ she released Peevsie!" He cackled manically as he zoomed from one corner to next. "Don't forget about our bargain!" The Poltergeist sang, making one last swoop before completely vanishing to do more mischief.  
Up on her feet once more, Levy banged her head against Gajeel's iron hard chest and winched when the pain registered. "Ow…" She rubbed at the forming bump with a grimace.  
Gajeel's hands pushed the Bluenette's away and took over rubbing her bruised head for her. "Are you alright Shrimp?"  
"Yeah. I'm fine." 'I really shouldn't have done that.'  
"Anyway," Levy began in an effort to fill the awkward silence that had descended. "I need to go find a certain talking cat. Want to help me?"  
Gajeel shrugged his shoulders. "Got nothing better to do. Which cat are you looking for?"  
"Happy." Levy giggled, cracking up at the thought of Carla or Pantherlily acting in cahoots with the Poltergeist.  
The Slayer lifted his nose and sniffed the air. "He's this way."  
"Thanks Gajeel!" She followed after him, incredibly thankful for dragon slayers with super noses.  
He merely grunted in reply; intent on tracking the blue exceed.


End file.
